What are the vaccine requirements for KY students? Check before the school year starts

Aaron Mudd

Schools across Kentucky will soon open for the 2023-24 academic year, and if your child is starting kindergarten or sixth grade, you’ll need to have had checkups and immunizations for a host of infectious diseases.

For Fayette County Public Schools students, school starts Aug. 16. If children happen to be behind on a few immunizations, time is short to get them. Fortunately, you don’t need to scramble to get a doctor’s appointment scheduled.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department offer immunizations at its same-day clinic, and there are other options for low-income individuals to find a provider, such as the state’s Vaccines for Children program.

Additionally, you may want to re-up your child’s immunity to pertussis, also known as whooping cough, as Kentucky has seen cases increase recently as vaccination rates have waned. Whooping cough is highly contagious, and especially puts older adults and infants at risk.

Here’s what to know about school immunizations in Kentucky.

At what ages do children get their shots in Kentucky?

Kentucky’s full vaccination schedule can be found under Kentucky Administrative Regulation 60. Generally speaking, children starting public school for the first time, as well as sixth grade, must have several immunizations documented on their state certificate.

That could include vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, chicken pox, hepatitis A and B and measles, mumps and rubella. If they’re an older student, they may also need the meningitis vaccine.

A screen capture shows county-by-county vaccination rates for DTaP immunizations against diptheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough). The map above shows this rate for 6-year-olds, who should have all five doses of the DTaP vaccine by that age, according to guidelines from public health experts. Immunizeky.org
A screen capture shows county-by-county vaccination rates for DTaP immunizations against diptheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough). The map above shows this rate for 6-year-olds, who should have all five doses of the DTaP vaccine by that age, according to guidelines from public health experts. Immunizeky.org

Here’s a quick snapshot of what shots school-age children need to have by the time they reach a particular age:

For kindergarten entry, all children at least 5 years old must have:

  • Five doses of the DTaP or DTP vaccine or a combination of the two. DTaP refers to diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough)

  • Four doses of the IPV or OPV (polio vaccine) or combinations of the two

  • Two doses of the HepA vaccine

  • Three doses of the HepB vaccine

  • Two doses of the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella

  • Two doses of the varicella (chickenpox vaccine) or a diagnosis or verification from a health care provider that a child has chickenpox immunity

For sixth-grade entry, all children between the ages of 11 and 13 must have:

  • All the previous vaccinations required to enter elementary school

  • One additional dose of the TDaP vaccine to boost immunity

  • One dose of MenACWY (meningococcal vaccine)

According to the LFCHD, students entering sixth grade must also have a physical either one year prior or 30 days after starting sixth grade.

Neither the COVID-19 vaccine nor the seasonal flu shot are among public school requirements in Kentucky.

“We do encourage parents to discuss flu and COVID vaccines with their primary physician. COVID and Flu vaccinations are not required, and whether or not the student receives them is a family decision,” Fayette County Public Schools health services coordinator Debbie Bolan wrote in an email to the Herald-Leader.

What are the exceptions to Kentucky’s school vaccination requirements?

There are a few exceptions laid out in the state regulation, with the most relevant one being religious grounds.

According to 902 KAR 2.060, if an immunization is objected to on religious grounds, a health care provider, pharmacist, local health department or other licensed health care facility administering vaccinations may request the parent complete some paperwork.

That includes the state’s form for Parent or Guardian’s Declination on Religious Grounds. This document must be an original copy and must be written, sworn and signed before a notary public. It must also be submitted at the time of enrollment at a child care facility or school.

On the health care provider’s end, the regulation requires issuing a certificate of immunization status that’s marked to designate a religious objection. The certificate must also list what vaccinations the child has received, if any.

Where can I get my child vaccinated in Lexington?

If you don’t have health insurance or already qualify for Medicaid, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services has information about the state’s Vaccines for Children Program. The program provides vaccines to eligible children at no cost through public and private providers who participate in the program.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department offers school immunizations at its same-day clinic four days a week. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the clinic is open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and clinic hours extend until 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Parents and guardians are advised to call ‪859-279-2128‬ to schedule an appointment.

It may be a good idea to bring along your child’s immunization record, which you can access online at the Kentucky Immunization Record Public Portal.

Do you have a question about health in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.

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