Vaccine verification rule will change this year

Whitman County Health Department released a notice informing parents that starting Aug. 1, 2020, it will be required to have medically verified immunization records for school and child care entry.

Medically verified records may be a Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) printed from the Immunization Information System, a physical copy of the CIS with a healthcare provider signature, a physical copy of the CIS with accompanying medical immunization records from a healthcare provider verified and signed by school staff or a CIS printed from MyIR, a personal account where immunization records can be found if vaccinated in the state of Washington.

“I believe this law was in response to the measles outbreak and people simply not getting vaccine records or certified exemption forms in on time even with the prior 30-day grace period,” said Deanna Claybaugh LPN/BA with the Whitman County Health Department.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, on or before the first day of school or child care parents/guardians are required to provide proof of either full immunization, a certificate of exemption or the initiation of and compliance with a schedule of immunizations for their child.

For the 2020 school year there will be no 30-day grace period for those who can’t present a medically verified immunization record.

A student may be placed on a conditional status, which allows the student to stay in school or child care if they are catching up on required vaccines.

For example, if a child is entering kindergarten and has received all vaccines except MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) dose two, with MMR dose one being administered one week prior to school, then the child can start school in conditional status, as they wait for the MMR dose two validity date. This child will also be given 30 days after the validity date to get the dose and turn in documentation.

Students in conditional status may stay in school while waiting for the recommended date of the next dose needed plus another 30 calendar days to turn in documentation of the vaccination.

If the 30 day period expires and documentation has not been submitted to the school, the student will be excluded from further attendance until valid documentation is given.

Although, if a child is entering kindergarten and has all of their early childhood vaccines, but is missing their age four to six vaccines which are required for kindergarten, they must get the missing vaccines before the start of school or they won’t be able to start school.

“We are wanting to get this word out early so people know this year they need to provide this prior to school admittance,” Claybaugh said.

According to the DOH, students who will continue to attend the same school they attended prior to Aug. 1, 2020, do not need to resubmit records. All new immunization records turned in on or after that date must be medically verified.

In the notice released by the Whitman County Health Department, it suggests parents and guardians contact either their child’s medical provider or the health department for assistance in obtaining records sooner rather than later.