The Wisconsin Association of School Nurses is reminding parents of the importance of back-to-school vaccinations.

A federal court ruling in New York earlier this summer upheld a law, similar to Wisconsin law, allowing schools and health departments to send unvaccinated students home during vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks.

Vaccination waivers are available for religious, personal or medical reasons. Wisconsin requires children be vaccinated against chicken pox, measles/mumps/rubella, hepatitis B, polio and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus. Although not required by law, it is also recommended that students receive three doses of the human papilloma vaccine at sixth grade.

Each August during National Immunization Month, WASN offers tips to make back-to-school vaccination preparation easy:

•    Review your child’s current immunization record at the Wisconsin Immunization Registry, www.dhs.wisconsin/gov/immunization/wir.htm. 
•    Consult your family doctor on what vaccinations your child still needs and make an appointment soon.
•    If your child qualifies, contact a city or county health department to see if they have free immunization clinics. Some schools also hold their own on-site vaccination programs during school registration. Make sure you bring a copy of your child’s immunization record with you.
•    Go to www.cdc.gov/vaccines to see additional facts from through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
•    Present immunization records of vaccines received in other states and foreign countries to the school nurse or other school officials.

For more information visit www.wischoolnurses.org.