JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Regardless of where you stand on the vaccine debate, if your child is entering kindergarten or seventh grade, you must consider vaccines.
You do have the option on whether or not to vaccinate your child.
If you decide not to vaccinate, you need an exemption on file at the child's school, and it must be signed by an official with the health department.
Exemption rates are below the nation's average in our area. most parents choose to vaccinate their children and that's certainly the recommendation from our local health departments.
Without an exemption, to enter kindergarten, children need the DTap Vaccine, Hepatitis B Vaccine, MMR and the varicella vaccine
When students enter seventh grade, there's another batch of vaccines: Tdap -- Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
For the most part, Florida laws authorize school officials to allow students who present proof of measles vaccination to attend school up to 30 school days until their records are received.