Back to School Requirements

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Don't Wait—Get School Vaccinations Early

Back-to-school season can be a busy and stressful time. Delaying immunizations until just before school starts may result in difficulty getting an appointment—and could prevent your child from starting school on time.

To avoid delays, Siouxland District Health Department strongly recommends that children receive their required vaccinations as soon as they are age eligible.

  • Kindergarten: Vaccinations can be given anytime after your child turns 4 years old.

  • 7th Grade: Required immunizations can be administered after your child turns 11.

  • 12th Grade: Required immunizations can be administered after your child turns 16.

Please refer to the chart below for age-specific requirements.

Siouxland District Health offers back to school vaccinations through our Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) to schedule an appointment call us at 712-279-6119. 

Immunization Requirements

Table titled “Applicants enrolled or attempting to enroll shall have received the following vaccines in accordance with the doses and age requirements listed below.” It lists vaccine requirements for age 4 years and older.  Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP/Tdap): 5 doses with at least 1 dose on or after age 4; or 4 doses if the fourth was on or after age 4; plus 1 Tdap dose on or after age 10 for applicants in grades 7 and above.  Polio: 4 doses with at least 1 dose on or after age 4; or 3 doses if the third dose was on or after age 4.  Measles/Rubella: 2 doses, or proof of immunity from a U.S. laboratory.  Hepatitis B: 3 doses.  Varicella (chickenpox): 2 doses, or reliable history of natural disease.  Meningococcal (A, C, W, Y): 1 dose on or after age 10 for grades 7–11; 2 doses with one on or after age 16 for grade 12; or 1 dose for grade 12 if received on or after age 16.  Footnotes: Oral polio vaccine (OPV) doses given on or after April 1, 2016 do not count toward the polio requirement. Applicants ages 7–18 who received their first DTP-containing vaccine at 12 months or older should receive a total of 3 doses, with one dose on or after age 4.