Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:
Childcare and School Chickenpox Vaccine Requirements
For Public
All 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) have state laws that require children entering childcare or public schools to have certain vaccinations. There is no federal law that requires this.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that all states require children entering childcare and students starting school, college, and other postsecondary educational institutions have—
- age-appropriate chickenpox vaccination
- preschool-age children (age 12 months through 3 years): 1 dose
- school-age children, adolescents, adults: 2 doses
or
Students in school settings have a higher chance of spreading chickenpox because they are constantly in close contact with each other.
Chickenpox vaccine prevents the disease and outbreaks in childcare settings and schools. This leads to
- less illness and less school time missed by students, and
- less chance of exposing people who cannot get vaccinated.
For the 2011 to 2012 school year, 36 states and DC require children to receive two doses of chickenpox vaccine or have other evidence of immunity against chickenpox before starting school.
For more information, see State Vaccination Requirements.
Related Pages
- Who Needs Chickenpox Vaccine
- Who Should Not Get Chickenpox Vaccine
- Types of Chickenpox Vaccine
- Possible Side Effects of Chickenpox Vaccine
Return to main Varicella Vaccination page
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Content last reviewed on April 5, 2012
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases