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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 02-377

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Title 28--HEALTH
AND SAFETY

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

[28 PA. CODE CH. 23]

Intention to Amend Regulations Relating to School Immunizations

[32 Pa.B. 1305]

   The Department of Health (Department) is hereby providing notice that it intends to amend its regulations relating to immunizations required for school entry to reflect recent recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the allowance of a 4-day grace period for certain vaccine administration. Until that amendment can occur, the Department will accept as within the regulatory requirements of § 23.83 (relating to immunization requirements) those vaccines administered 4 days prior to the earliest date for vaccination permitted by the regulations.

   On February 8, 2002, ACIP published revised immunization recommendations in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) stating that it recommended accepting vaccinations given at a time less than or equal to 4 days prior to the minimal interval and age limit for a valid dose of vaccine administration. This recommendation conflicts with the Commonwealth's school immunization requirement for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines, which states that the vaccines for these diseases must be administered on or after a child turns 12 months of age for the vaccine to be accepted as a valid dose. With respect to varicella, the Department's regulations for entry into seventh grade require either one dose of vaccine at 12 months of age or older or two doses of vaccine at 13 years of age or older. See § 23.83.

   The Department has followed ACIP recommendations for Statewide immunization recommendations and school immunization requirements. The Commonwealth chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics supports ACIP's recent recommendations allowing a 4-day grace period for dose interval and age limit. After consideration of ACIP's February 8, 2002, recommendation and review of the relevant information relating to that recommendation, the Department agrees with ACIP's determination that administering a vaccine dose a few days earlier than the minimum interval or age limit is unlikely to have a significant negative effect on the immune response to that dose.

   The Department intends to amend its regulations relating to school immunizations to reflect this 4-day grace period. Until that amendment can occur, the Department will accept vaccinations for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella given within the 4-day grace period.

   Questions regarding this notice should be directed to Alice Gray, Director, Division of Immunization, Department of Health, P. O. Box 90, Harrisburg, PA 17108-0090, (717) 787-5681or V/TT: (717) 783-6154 for speech and/or hearing impaired persons or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 [TT]. Persons with a disability who require an alternative format of this notice (for example, large print, audiotape or Braille), should contact Alice Gray at the previously listed address and telephone numbers.

ROBERT S. ZIMMERMAN, Jr.,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 02-377. Filed for public inspection March 8, 2002, 9:00 a.m.]


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