Immunization and vaccinations
A healthy school setting gives all students the best chance to learn and grow. Vaccines protect children from getting and spreading diseases that can make them very sick. For this reason, New York State Health Department requires children aged 2-months to 18-years-old who are entering or attending child care, public school, or private school to be vaccinated against certain diseases.
New York State Public Health Law requires students to get certain vaccines in order to attend child care or school. The number of vaccine doses your child needs depends on:
-age,
-grade,
-medical history, and;
-if they have gotten vaccine doses before.
Talk to your child’s health care provider for more information.
ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, unless the child has an exemption, a student must have had at least one dose of the required vaccinations or risk exclusion. Click below to see required vaccinations by grade:
The following guidelines are applicable regarding immunizations and exclusions:
- Parents will be notified by the school nurse of needed immunizations soon after school registration for new entrants; and well in advance, for students already enrolled in the District, to give parents plenty of time to arrange for the shots.
- No immunizations are given at school. Parents should contact their private healthcare provider or the local health department, for information about where their child can receive immunizations.
- Parents who believe their child should be exempt from required immunizations, for medical or religious reasons, must discuss this with the school nurse. State regulations will be followed for all exemption requests. Medical exemptions must be renewed annually.
- If a student is homeless, the school nurse will work with the child (and family) to get immunizations for the child’s protection.
Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians
- Getting their child properly immunized, including boosters.
- Getting written verification of these from the office or clinic that gave them.
- Giving this written verification to the child's health office as soon as possible, and keeping a copy for their own files at home.
Chemung County Health Department
The Chemung County Health Department provides some children with free immunizations. For more information about health services available through the Chemung County Health Department, visit
https://www.chemungcountyny.gov/241/Public-Health or call 607.737.2028.