“It’s the number one thing you can do to protect your child and the community and prevent these diseases from recurring.”
MERRILL, Wis. – As Wisconsin students prepare for the 2024-2025 school year, new vaccination guidelines are being introduced to enhance health and safety in schools. These updates aim to provide better protection against serious diseases and align with national recommendations.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), updated requirements include:
- Meningococcal Vaccine: Students entering seventh grade are now required to receive the meningococcal vaccine, with a booster dose needed before entering 12th grade. This vaccine helps protect against serious infections of the brain and spinal cord.
- Varicella (Chickenpox) Documentation: Parents can no longer use self-reported chickenpox history to exempt their children from the varicella vaccine requirement. Instead, a diagnosis from a healthcare professional is necessary to prove immunity, ensuring accurate documentation.
In light of these updates, Dr. Natalie Weeks, a Family Medicine Physician at Aspirus Merrill Clinic, emphasizes the broader importance of vaccines: “Vaccines not only protect your child, but they also protect the community at large, especially those who may be immunocompromised or have a harder time fighting off infections.” She adds, “We are very lucky to have these vaccines to prevent potentially deadly diseases.”
The new guidelines take effect immediately for childcare centers, with the first assessment under these criteria scheduled for spring 2025. For school-aged children, the updated requirements will be enforced starting this school year.
“If parents are concerned or have any questions at all about vaccinating their children, I encourage them to talk to their child’s primary care provider,” advises Dr. Weeks.
For more information on the updated requirements and to check your child’s vaccine status, visit the Wisconsin DHS website or contact your local health care provider. Staying informed about these changes helps protect both your child and the broader community.
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Interview Questions
- Which vaccines are most important for kids to have before going back to school?
- How do these vaccines help protect the broader community?
- What would you say to parents who are worried about vaccinating their kids?
- How can parents check if their child's immunizations are up to date?
- Where can people find information about local vaccination rates?
- What are the new vaccination guidelines Wisconsin parents should know about this school year?
- When do these new rules go into effect?
- Anything else you’d like people to know?
For more health content, visit the Aspirus Media Center.
About Aspirus: Aspirus Health is a nonprofit, community-directed health system based in Wausau, Wisconsin, serving northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The health system operates 18 hospitals and 130 outpatient locations with nearly 14,000 team members, including 1,300 employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians. Learn more at aspirus.org.
