As the start of school approaches, so does the deadline for immunizations.
Many vaccines are required to attend school in Missouri. Fulton Public Schools adheres to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services requirements for vaccines.
The Fulton Public Schools require the DTaP/DTP/DT1, Tdap, MCV, IPV, MMR, Hepatitis B and Varicella vaccines, throughout a student's school years.
The Fulton Public Schools start on Aug. 23, but the schools have a 4-day grace period for immunizations, according to the school's website.
The department of health and senior services, along with consultation of the department of elementary and secondary education can regulate rules regarding immunization against poliomyelitis, rubella, rubeola, mumps, tetanus, pertussis, diphtheria and hepatitis B, if a child is attending public, private, parochial or parish schools, according to Title XI Education and Libraries, chapter 167 of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website.
It is considered "unlawful" for a student to attend school without proof of satisfactory immunizations, the DESE website states.
However, a child may be exempt for "religious beliefs or medical contraindications," the website states. To get an exemption, one guardian of the child must give a statement regarding the exemption from a duly licensed physician, to the school administrator, the DESE website states.
Four or more doses of the DTaP/DTP/DT1 vaccines are required for the Fulton Public Schools. The last dose must be on or after the fourth birthday and the last dose of pediatric pertussis before the seventh birthday, according to the Fulton Public School's website.
This vaccine helps protect against diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.
For 8th-12th grade, one dose of the TDaP vaccine is required, the school's website states. This vaccine helps prevent tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, according to the CDC.
For 8th-11th grade, one dose of MCV (Meningococcal Conjugate) is required; the child must be older than 10, according to the school's website.
In 12th grade, two doses of MCV are required unless the first dose was administered to a student who was 16 years of age or older, in which case only one dose is required. At least one dose must be given after 16 years of age, according to the school's website.
The MCV vaccine can protect against meningococcal disease, according to the CDC.
For kindergarten through 12th grade, three or more doses of the IPV vaccine is required, the school's website states. The last dose must be administered on or after the fourth birthday, according to the school's website. The interval between the next-to-last and last dose should be at least six months, the school's website states.
The IPV vaccine can protect against polio, according to the CDC website.
Also, for kindergarten through 12th grade, two doses of the MMR vaccine are required, according to the school's website.
The first dose must be given on or after twelve months of age, and if MMR and Varicella are not administered on the same day, they must be at least 28 days apart, the school's website states.
The four-day grace period does not apply to this vaccine.
The MMR vaccine can help protect against measles, mumps and rubella, according to the CDC's website.
For kindergarten through 12th grade, students must have three or more doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine, according to the school's website.
There must be at least four weeks between doses one and two; at least 8 weeks between doses two and three; at least 16 weeks between doses one and three and the final dose must be given no earlier than 24 weeks of age, according to the school's website.
The Hepatitis B vaccine protects against the hepatitis B virus, according to the CDC website.
For kindergarten through 12th grade, two doses of the Varicella vaccine is required, according to the school's website.
The first dose must be given on or after twelve months of age and if Varicella and MMR are not administered on the same day, they must be at least 28 days apart, according to the school's website.
The 4-day grace period does not apply to this vaccine, according to the school's website.
Varicella helps protect against chickenpox, according to the CDC's website.
The Callaway County Health Department offers vaccines needed for school registration. It is offered 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday at the Callaway County Health Department (4950 County Road 304).
The department offered a Vaccine for Children program, that offers free vaccines for children younger than 19 and are one of the following: eligible for Medicaid, uninsured, underinsured or American Indian/Alaska Native.
"Vaccinating means healthier children, families, and communities," Andrea Bedrosian, administrator of the health department, said. "Vaccine-preventable diseases create costs for families, communities, businesses, and health systems. Immunization is among the most cost-effective ways to support a healthier and safer community."