Yes. Students in all grades are required to meet the minimum immunization requirements. Immunization requirements extend to children ages 3 through 5 attending special education programs, child care, or preschool within the school building.
The statement must include the student’s name and date of birth, the vaccine given, and date (month/day/year) of each immunization.
Laboratory results for evidence of disease immunity must be ordered by a physician. The ordering physician is responsible for interpreting the results and determining adequate evidence of immunity based on current medical guidelines.
Laboratory evidence of immunity is a blood test for disease-specific immune globulin that measures immunity to disease. This is often used to confirm immunity when immunization records are not available, or a parent reports a history of disease (i.e. varicella).
Adequate documentation is as follows: documentation from a healthcare provider, an immunization record from another school corporation, an immunization record in CHIRP, or a printed record from another state registry. This documentation must include the date (month/day/year) for each dose of vaccine administered.
No. Lab evidence is NOT acceptable for Diphtheria, Pertussis, or Tetanus. Laboratory evidence of immunity may be used in place of immunization requirements for the following school required immunizations:
The CDC and ACIP allow a 4-day grace period. If a vaccine is given up to 4 days before the minimum recommended age or interval for administration of the vaccine, it can be counted as valid. However, this does not apply to every vaccine and does not change the recommended schedule for routine vaccine administration.
The 4-day grace period does not apply to the minimum 28-day interval between 2 live virus vaccines (MMR, LAIV, and Varicella).
For the MMR to be counted as a valid dose, it must have been given on or after the first birthday. The four day grace period is applicable to MMR vaccine.
No. Only a licensed physician (M.D. or D.O.) or advanced practice provider (nurse practitioner or physician assistant under a physician’s supervision) can provide a medical exemption.
A medical exemption is a physician’s certification that a particular immunization may be detrimental to the child’s health. It must state in writing that the child has a medical contraindication to receiving a vaccine. The Indiana State Department of Health has a medical exemption form available on CHIRP that providers should use to document medical exemptions. Many contraindications to vaccination are not permanent so a medical exemption should be obtained for the student each school year. As true medical contraindications to immunization are vaccine-specific, medical exemptions must be written for each vaccine that is contraindicated.
When a valid medical exemption form is received by the school, the school nurse must document this exemption in CHIRP.
The state vaccine medical exemption form can be found here.
A religious objection must state that the objection to immunization is based on religious grounds. The objection must be in writing, be signed by the child’s parent, and delivered to the school.
There is no requirement of proof. To ensure the continued religious objection status for a student, schools must require written documentation of the religious objection each school year. When a valid religious exemption is received by the school, the school nurse must document this exemption in CHIRP. Please note: there is no state form for a religious objection.
No. School immunization requirements in the state of Indiana follow the recommendations made by the ACIP and are adopted by the CDC. Invalid doses will be marked in CHIRP with a red “X”, and the parent/guardian will need to provide evidence of immunity in order to meet school entry requirements. Evidence of immunity includes documentation of a valid dose(s) of vaccine, a positive IgG titer (if acceptable for the vaccine dose in question), or acceptable documentation of history of disease
No. Indiana law only allows religious and medical exemptions.
Yes, but Indiana Code (IC 20-34-4-5) states that a child is not permitted to attend school beyond the first day without furnishing a written record, unless:
Meningococcal disease – All students (IC 20-30-5-18)
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection— All 6th grade students (IC 20-34-4-3). The HPV letter may be sent to parents or posted on the school’s website.
All educational materials & letter templates can be found in the CHIRP Document Center under the School Nurse link: Letters
No. School exclusion is determined by the school corporation according to IC 20-34-4-5. ISDH strongly recommends adherence to this code.