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Monday, June 04, 2007

FCPS Reminds Parents of Virginia Immunization Requirement for Tdap Vaccine

Prior to reporting to school, every student entering the sixth grade in Virginia during the 2007-08 school year is required to receive a booster dose of the tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine—if at least five years have passed since the last dose of tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine (DTP, DTaP, DT, or Td) was administered. Students cannot begin school in the fall without documentation of having had the Tdap booster or having had a tetanus-containing vaccine within the past five years.

Students who are 11 years old should get the Tdap immunization, and documentation should be provided to the school as soon as possible. If the student is still 10 years old, check with the physician to see if Boostrix is being used. If not, the child must wait until his or her 11th birthday to receive the immunization. In this case, and if the 11th birthday is after the first day of school, the child must have a written medical exemption from the doctor stating when he or she will receive the Tdap vaccine.

The Tdap booster vaccine can be obtained from a pediatrician’s office or from the Fairfax County Health Department. Fairfax County Health Department clinics will administer the vaccine at no charge on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the following locations:

• Falls Church Clinic, 6245 Leesburg Pike, Suite 500, Falls Church, 703-534-8343.
• Herndon-Reston Clinic, 1850 Cameron Glen Drive, Suite 100, Reston, 703-481-4242.
• Mount Vernon Clinic, 8350 Richmond Highway, Suite 233, Alexandria, 703-704-5203.
• Springfield Clinic, Cary Building, first floor, Suite A100, 8136 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, 703-569-1031.
• Joseph Willard Health Center, 3750 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, 703-246-7100.

A student receiving the vaccine at a Fairfax County health clinic must be accompanied by an adult and should bring his or her current immunization record to the clinic at that time.
Visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/ for up-to-date information on clinic times and locations.
Questions should be directed to the school public health nurse at the neighborhood school.

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