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Student Getting Vaccinated by Nurse

This Won't Hurt a Bit

Okay, a shot may hurt a little, but the diseases they can prevent are a lot worse, some are even life-threatening. That's why immunizations (vaccinations), are essential to our health and wellbeing.

Our bodies are amazing, but they need a little help when it comes to fighting communicable diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough). Vaccines stimulate the immune system to react as if there were a real infection. It fends off the "infection" and remembers the germ. Then, it can fight the germ if it enters the body later.

Today, most children in the United States lead much healthier lives and their parents live with much less anxiety over infections during childhood. Immunizations are one of the success stories of modern medicine.  

COVID-19 VACCINE: Currently the U.S. has highly effective vaccines to offer. Individuals do not have their full immunity from the vaccine until 2 weeks after vaccination. If you choose to have your student vaccinated, please send a copy to the school nurses. 


 

IMMUNIZATIONS
Per MA Dept. of Public Health, IMMUNIZATION OF STUDENTS BEFORE ADMISSION TO SCHOOL, 105 CMR 220.000 applies to all students attending public or private elementary schools, secondary schools, post-secondary institutions of higher education, and certain pre-schools in the Commonwealth, including students from other states and countries.   

Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 76, section 15 requires no student will be admitted to school without proof of full immunization. Parents, you must make this information available before your child's first day of school. State laws require us to exclude children from school without proper documentation of full immunization. Exceptions to this are medical exemptions certified by a physician or a statement of religious objection by the parent.   



COMMUNICABLE DISEASE & RESOURCES
In addition to immunization links above, you may also like to view these handy resources: