Changes mean some Rockingham students need shots

Some students may need to visit a doctor before Aug. 1 because school immunization requirements have changed.

According to the Rockingham County schools, children and college students are now required by state law to receive an additional mumps vaccine and a booster dose of a combination tetanus, diphtheria and acellular

pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.

Nancy Crutchfield, a nurse for Rockingham County schools, said schools hope to inform parents of the new requirements for an age group typically up to date on immunization since kindergarten.

“It’s so new I don’t think parents realize it unless we get their attention to let them know this means their children,” Crutchfield.

Crutchfield said the school system sent fliers and Connect-Ed messages to parents informing of the change this spring, and will continue until school starts.

She said the repeated notification is necessary because additional immunization for sixth-graders is new, and parents may disregard the first wave of announcements.

A few categories of students must comply. Public school students entering sixth grade need extra immunizations if five years has past since the last dose of tetanus and diphtheria vaccine.

All students 12 or older at non-public schools, such as private or home schools, must have the additional shots. College and university students must also comply by Aug. 1 if 10 years has passed since their last tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine, and provide proof to their institution’s health department. All students enrolling in a school or college for the first time are required to take a second mumps vaccine.

“Basically, the rules changed to reduce risk of mumps and whooping cough among north Carolinians,” said Glenn Martin, director of the Rockingham County Department of Public Health. “Most children receive immunization when they enter kindergarten, but immunization wanes over the years.”

Whooping cough, Martin said, is a highly contagious, potentially fatal infection of the respiratory system that killed thousands each year before a vaccine was found.

“The changes are by recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control board of advisers,” Martin said. Fifteen people compose the board, and they are experts in the field of diseases and their prevention. Martin said it was after examining the sudden rise in preventable diseases that the advisers recommended a change in state law.

While Crutchfield said Rockingham County schools experienced no cases of whooping cough in recent years, the risk of infection is enough to prompt new immunization laws.

“Some are saying that they’re finding a lot of middle students and high school students are getting whooping cough,” Crutchfield said. “Some believe it’s because the shot they received when they were 5 years old is not holding.”

Crutchfield said immunization is not something parents can put off indefinitely. They need to file copies of the Certificate of Immunization with their child’s school and have 30 days after the student begins school to provide proof. After the deadline, the child will be expelled if proof of immunization is not provided.

“We’re trying to get the word out that if we don’t have (proof) by the 23rd of September, that’s it. The student is out,” Crutchfield said.

Staff writer Heather J. Smith can be reached at hsmith@reidsvillereview.com or 623-2155, ext. 15.