It's time for your back-to-school shots Roll up your sleeves, and quick: Eight-month provisional period has been reduced to five days

Pennsylvania school leaders reminded parents this week that it’s time for back-to-school vaccinations, which come with new regulations this year that greatly reduce the provisional period.
Pennsylvania used to allow an eight-month provisional period from the time school begins for parents to get their child’s immunizations up to date. That period has been reduced to five days.
“It’s very important for all young people to receive immunizations on time,” said Dr. Rachel Levine, Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General. “This includes being up-to-date on age-appropriate immunizations within five days of the start of the new school year.”
Children in grades K-12 need the following immunizations for attendance:
Tetanus
Diphtheria
Polio
MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
Hepatitis B
Chickenpox
Children entering the seventh grade also need additional immunizations of the following:
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
Tetanus diphtheria
Acellular pertussis (Tdap)
Any child without at least one dose of the above vaccinations risks exclusion from school.
“In order to learn, grow, and achieve, students need to be healthy and well," said Dr. David Volkman, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Immunizations help ensure those conditions exist for all children in our schools. The departments of Education, Insurance, and Health encourage Pennsylvanians to get vaccinated before the school year begins, so classrooms can remain safe and supportive spaces for students to learn.”
These requirements allow exemptions for medical reasons, religious belief, or strong moral or ethical conviction. A child exempted from immunizations may be excluded from school during an outbreak of vaccine-preventable disease.
Vaccines are freeUnder the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans, including those bought through the federal Marketplace, are required to cover school vaccinations as a free preventive service without charging a copayment or coinsurance, regardless of whether or not you have met your yearly deductible.
“When a new school year starts, there are many costs parents have to consider with textbooks, school supplies, and other expenses,” said Teresa Miller, Insurance Commissioner. “Thankfully, immunizations aren’t one of them, as most insurance plans cover school vaccinations with no cost to the consumer.”
Make sure that the doctor or provider who administers the immunization is within your health insurance plan’s network, or you may be responsible for the cost. More information on preventive services is available at HealthCare.gov.
The Department of Health regularly schedules immunization clinics year-round across the state. A child without insurance can get all of the vaccines required at one of the commonwealth’s state health centers or local health departments. Immunizations are provided at little or no cost for children through 18 years of age who are Medicaid eligible, uninsured, underinsured, or American Indian or Alaska Native. The cost is $5 per child (payable by check or money order) for families above income guidelines. But no child will be turned away because of an inability to pay.
Parents whose children meet the immunization requirements must call 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258) to schedule an appointment. Parents should have their vaccination records available when they call to make an appointment. A parent/legal guardian must accompany the child receiving immunizations. Staff must be notified before the appointment if someone other than the child’s parent/legal guardian will be accompanying him/her.
For more information, visit dontwaitvaccinate.pa.gov.