Christian UC: Vaccines

Virginia Immunization Requirements

Updated January 1994

Authority: Education, Va. Code Ann. §§22.1271.1 to .4. Health, VCA 32.1-46, 1-47. Regulations for the Immunization of School Children, Virginia Department of Health, Office of Epidemiology, Division of Communicable Disease Control, Bureau of Immunization, August 1992, §§1.1 to 5.4.

General Rule: No student shall be admitted by a school unless at the time of admission the student or his parent or guardian submits documentary proof of immunization to the admitting official of the school or unless the student is exempted.' VCA §22.1-271.2.A. Any parent, guardian or other person having control or charge of a child being home instructed, exempted or excused from school attendance shall comply with the immunization requirements provided in §32.1-46 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the child has been enrolled in and is attending school. - VCA §22.1-271.4. The parent, guardian or person standing in loco parentis of each child within this Commonwealth shall cause such child to be immunized' against the designated diseases. VCA §32.1-46. Upon request by the division superintendent, the parent shall submit to such division superintendent documentary proof of immunization in compliance with §32 VCA §22.1-271.4. Any student whose immunizations are incomplete may be admitted conditionally, if the student has received at least one dose of the required immunizations, accompanied by a schedule for completion of the required doses within 90 days. VCA §22.1-271.2.B.

Exceptions: There are two exceptions: VCA §22.1-271.2.C.

1) If student or his parent/guardian submits an affidavit to the admitting official stating that the administration of immunization agents conflicts with the student's religious tenets or practices.

2) The School has written certification from a licensed physician or a local health department that one or more of the required immunizations may be detrimental to the student's health, indicating the specific nature and probable duration of the medical condition or circumstances that contraindicates immunization.

Reporting: If a school does not have documentary proof of Immunization, the school shall notify the student or his parent or guardian.'VCA §22.1-271.2.A.

Epidemic: Upon the identification of an outbreak, potential epidemic or epidemic of a vaccine preventable disease in a public or private school, the Commissioner shall have the authority to require the exclusion from such school of all children who are not immunized against the disease. VCA §32.1-47.

Definitions: VCA §22.1-271.1.

Documentary proof--written certification that a student has been immunized, such certificate to be on a form provided by the State Department of Health and signed by the licensed immunizing physician or an employee of the immunizing local health department.

Student--any person who seeks admission to a school, or for whom admission to a school is sought by a parent or guardian, and who wiR not have attained the age of 20 years by the start of the school term.

School--(i) any public school from kindergarten through grade twelve operated under the authority of any locality within this Commonwealth, (ii) any private or parochial school that offers instruction at any level or grade from Kindergarten through grade twelve, and (iii) any private or parochial nursery school or preschool, or any private or parochial child-care center required to be licensed by this Commonwealth.

Designated Diseases: Diphtheria, pertussis, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, haemophilus influenzae type b, measles (rubeola), German measles (rubella) and mumps. VCA §32.1-46.

Penalties: In accordance with §32.1-27 of the Code of Virginia, any person, willfully violating or refusing, failing or neglecting to comply with any regulation or order of the board or commissioner of any provision of this title shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor unless a different penalty is specified. Va. Regs. Reg., Bureau of Immunization, §5.4.

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