New whooping cough vaccine requirement has Sacramento area schools scrambling Learning Process

New whooping cough vaccine requirement has Sacramento area schools scrambling

Written on June 29, 2011 – 7:18 pm | by Justin Fraser

School district officials throughout the Sacramento region are trying to avoid a chaotic first day of school, where potentially thousands of students could be barred from campuses for not having a whooping cough booster shot.

A new law requiring middle and high school students to receive the vaccine went into effect Friday. Students at public and private schools will not be allowed on campuses until shot records verifying the booster are turned in to their schools. The law does not affect students currently enrolled in summer school.

“As of right now we only have documentation for 21 percent of our incoming seventh- through 12th-graders,” said Gabe Ross, spokesman for Sacramento City Unified. “We are very concerned that on the first day of school we will have to send kids home.”

Other area districts, such as Elk Grove and Twin Rivers Unified, also say a majority of their middle and high school students have not turned in shot records indicating they’ve received the Tdap booster. As with other vaccination requirements, families can apply for an exemption based on the child’s medical condition or personal beliefs.

Most health insurance covers immunizations, such as the Tdap booster. For students without insurance, area districts have held free clinics, with more planned in the coming months.

“Money should not be an obstacle to get this vaccine,” said Dawn Fox, acting director of health services at Sacramento City Unified.

Fox said 640 vaccines were given to students at four free clinics held by Sacramento City Unified in May and June. More clinics are planned for August. The district will open an enrollment center Tuesday at 5601 47th Ave., which will host a clinic on Thursdays and some Saturdays.

“This isn’t just a Sacramento issue,” Ross said. “It’s an entire state issue. Low-income families tend to be affected disproportionately. They have less access to health care and transient communities are tough to reach.”

The vaccine requirement is met by having a Tdap booster shot on or after a student’s seventh birthday. The booster protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, commonly called whopping cough.

Last year, whooping cough was declared an epidemic in California, with thousands of confirmed cases and 10 infant deaths.

“Californians experienced the worst whooping cough outbreak since the 1940s,” said Dr. Glennah Trochet, Sacramento County public health officer. “We know that young adults are the reservoirs for whooping cough and this law will give people immunity for several years.”

After this year’s requirement is met for seventh- through 12th-grade students, the law next year will be met by requiring seventh-graders to be immunized.

“We are working very hard to get the word out,” Trochet said. “A lot of people may have already had the vaccine, and they just need to check with their doctors to have it documented in the school.”

Elk Grove Unified is one of the first districts to return to school, with classes beginning Aug. 15. Spokeswoman Elizabeth Graswich said the district has used automated phone calls, emails, fliers and other efforts to get the word out to parents. Reminders were also placed on state-issued paychecks.

“We believe a number of our families have proof and haven’t turned it in yet,” Graswich said.

Throughout the summer, parents can turn in shot records at their children’s schools or district offices.

“We are encouraging parents not to wait until the last minute,” Ross said.

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