Immunizations
Nebraska Law about School Immunization
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have immunization requirements for children entering school. In Nebraska, children can't attend classes in public or private school until the school has written proof of their immunization status.To attend school, children in Nebraska are required to be immunized against the following diseases:
* Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis
* Polio
* Measles, mumps, and rubella
* Hepatitis B
* Varicella (chicken pox)
Each school in Nebraska is required to keep the immunization history of the students enrolled on file. Parents or guardians must present one of the following documents to the school to verify immunization status:
* An immunization record showing that the child is protected by age-appropriate immunizations.
* A statement signed by a physician that the required immunization would be injurious to the student or members of the student's family or household.
* An affidavit signed by a legally authorized representative stating that the immunization conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized religious denomination of which the student is a member.
A student can be provisionally enrolled in school if he or she has started the immunizations series and continues the necessary immunizations as rapidly as is medically possible. If the student doesn't continue with the immunization schedule, he or she will be sent home.
The school district is required by law to report the immunization status of each school to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services yearly. The current level of school immunization is 97.06% in Nebraska.
Nebraska Immunizations
Every year almost 25,000 babies are born in the State of Nebraska. Each of these children starts with an immunization coverage level of zero. That's why it's our responsibility to immunize our children and protect them.Immunizations are one of the most effective and cost efficient ways to prevent disease. For every dollar spent on immunizations, you can save as much as $29.00 in direct and indirect health costs. Vaccine-preventable disease has declined by over 99% since the introduction of vaccines.
The goal of the Childhood Immunization Initiative is to have at least 90% of all children immunized by 2 years old. Currently the immunization rate for 2-year-olds in the U.S. is 76.1% and Nebraska's immunization rate is 83.9% for 2-year-olds and younger. To be minimally immunized, a 2-year-old will need a series of 4 doses of diphtheria/tenanus/pertussis, 3 doses of polio vaccine, 1 dose of measles/mumps/rubella vaccine, 3 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b, 3 doses of hepatitis B, and 1 dose of varicella vaccine. About 24% of America's toddlers lack one or more doses of these series.
The Nebraska Immunization Program provides funding, vaccines, and training to immunization clinics and private providers throughout the state to vaccinate children from birth through 18 years old. The goal of the Immunization Program is to help communities provide a local preventative health program designed to meet each area's individual needs while maintaining quality of service. To receive immunizations, contact your local immunization clinic or physician. The Program also provides information about adult immunization and international travel immunizations.