News Releases from Department of Health

HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) is encouraging parents of students who will be entering seventh grade this coming school year to schedule a well-child visit as soon as possible. Hawai‘i law requires that all students submit official documentation to their school indicating that they have received the required vaccinations and undergone a physical exam before the first day of school.

Staying current with immunizations safeguards your child and contributes to overall health in schools by preventing disease outbreaks. Many children have not received vaccines since kindergarten, which means that some of the protection they had when they started school has declined. Also, your child is now old enough to receive additional vaccines to prevent other serious diseases.

Before the first day of the 2024-2025 school year, all seventh-grade students must provide official documentation of having received the following vaccines:

• Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
• Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)

Parents are encouraged to contact their health care provider to schedule the first HPV vaccination as soon as possible since two doses are needed. Completing the HPV series is important because this vaccine series protects your child against a family of viruses strongly associated with certain types of cancer.

Children who are new to Hawaiʻi schools must also complete a tuberculosis (TB) clearance form with their health care provider.

As children prepare to transition from elementary to middle school, ensuring their health and well-being through a comprehensive physical exam is important. Children undergo significant physical, emotional and social change as they approach adolescence.

Well-child visits enable health care providers to monitor a child’s growth and development while addressing physical activity, nutrition, health concerns and behaviors. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and youth have a well-child visit with their health care provider at least once a year.

Please contact your child’s health care provider for more information or to schedule an appointment. If you need assistance connecting with a health care provider, call Aloha United Way at 211.

For more information about Hawai‘i’s school health requirements, visit www.VaxToSchoolHawaii.com.

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