Changes to State Law Requires New Vaccinations for Incoming 7th Graders
Students Must Receive Tdap Vaccine Before Enrolling in School
The Oklahoma City Public School District is alerting parents and guardians of students entering seventh grade next year of a new Oklahoma state law that changes vaccination requirements. Starting with the 2011-2012 school year, all incoming 7th graders must have the Tdap vaccination to enroll in school.
The Tdap vaccination is also known as the pertussis or “whooping cough” vaccine booster. Whooping cough can be a very serious and sometimes deadly respiratory disease for infants and very young children; it spreads easily from person to person when an infected person coughs or sneezes and is preventable by vaccination.
For the 2011-2012 school year, all students entering seventh grade will need proof of a pertussis booster (Tdap or pertussis containing vaccine). Students will not be allowed to attend school until an immunization record is presented with proof of the pertussis booster. State law permits medical and personal belief exemptions. A new personal beliefs exemption must be signed for the pertussis booster requirement.