There’s still time to get vaccinations
In May 2001, the state added a second dose of the measles vaccine to the list of immunizations that children had to have to attend school. By Sept. 1 of this year, they’ll need the chickenpox vaccination, as well.
With school bells set to ring in just two weeks for the first day of the 2002-2003 school year, local pediatrician Dr. Mani Balu said there is still time for those who have not yet been properly vaccinated to see their doctor.
“We have pretty much covered our patients, but they can come in and get the shot or go to their own doctor, the earlier the better,” Balu said.
He is one of five pediatricians and a physician’s assistant in the Uniontown office of Laurel Pediatrics, where, he said, the vaccine is encouraged beyond those listed in the state’s requirements.
Balu said the disease is not thought of as serious and usually is little problem for a young child. However, occasionally it can be serious to a child, and the effects increase with age and may even be life threatening, he said.
While the measles vaccine requirement affected all students, the chickenpox, or varicella, immunization requirement affects three grade levels.
Children entering school for the first time in kindergarten or first grade and those going into seventh grade must have proof of immunization against chickenpox or a medical record that they have had the disease. Those entering seventh grade also are required to have the chickenpox vaccine or proof of the disease as well as three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine.
“The law says in order to attend school, you have to be up to date on the immunizations that are required,” said Richard McGarvey, spokesman for the state Department of Health. “It is possible to be kept out of school, although schools work hard with the parents to get the immunizations.”
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners put out a reminder on these requirements.
“Chickenpox has traditionally been viewed as a childhood right of passage, a notion that persists despite the availability of a vaccine to prevent it,” said JoAnn Serota, a pediatric nurse practitioner and member of the association. “Experience has shown that the best way to raise immunization rates when a vaccine is recommended is through school-based requirements.”
McGarvey explained the list of required immunizations was updated in 1998, when the second dose of the measles vaccine was added for all students, the chickenpox vaccine was added for kindergartners, first- and seventh-graders and the three doses of hepatitis B was added for seventh-graders. The deadline was deferred for time to get the word out.
He said it was a little harder to comply with the measles requirement for all students.
“As it turned out, school districts reported back that they got it done,” he said.
McGarvey said kindergarten and first grade are good places to start the immunizations, as students are just entering school, and targeting the seventh-grade makes it possible to protect more children in a shorter time. He said as the youngest students move up through the grades, the gap is lessened, and eventually all of the students are covered.
“We certainly recommend that the others get it,” he said.
The state requires the vaccinations in an effort to reduce the occurrence of a given disease in the population, McGarvey said, citing the reduction in polio since the availability of vaccines. He said the chickenpox vaccine is important because the disease can be life threatening.
“This reduces the disease in that age group, and if that reduces the disease, it will reduce the deaths or the effects of the disease. Like polio, you might recover, but you might have lifelong effects. You have these vaccines that work. With polio, you almost never hear about it. With measles, you rarely hear about it anymore. These are diseases that just 60 and 70 years ago were feared,” McGarvey said.
Balu said he and his colleagues treat patients up to age 18, but he recommends that adults ask their own doctor for the vaccine against chickenpox if they have not had the disease, saying the disease’s effects increase as a person gets older. He said the chickenpox vaccine also protects against shingles, an acute, localized infection that causes painful blistering.
He said children as young as 1 year old can receive the chickenpox vaccine. He said it is given as one shot until age 13, when it is given twice about two months apart.
“It’s a very safe and effective vaccine,” he said.
Balu said the side effects are minor and can include a fever or rash. He said the vaccine is a live virus and has virtually no contraindications, although a pregnant woman or cancer patient should not take it.
August is National Immunization Month. The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners notes that the chickenpox vaccine has been available since 1995. The association stated the immunization rate at first was 26 percent but climbed to 72 percent by July 2001.