Hays Family Medicine
785-623-5095
2509 Canterbury Drive
Hays, KS 67601 | Directions
Hays Family Medicine
Immunizations for School Age Individuals
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) makes recommendations each year for disease prevention. The most recent updates may indicate that additional immunizations for you or your children may be suggested. Many are not required, but some are required in specific settings.
Meningitis (Menactra, MPSU4, MCV4)- May be required before your college student may live in the dorm. This immunization has not been required in most other settings, but advisable starting at age 11. Please see the attached information sheet.
Chicken Pox (Varicella)- Currently required before entering kindergarten (2 unless has had the disease). If one has had the disease, immunization may not be necessary. But if the disease wan not documented by a physician or nurse practitioner, a titer (or blood level) may be required. Also, if the chicken pox infection was a very light case, a titer may be advised. Currently it is recommended that a second Varicella booster be given even if one was given at a younger age. To all individuals who received only one Varicella immunization, please see the attached information sheet.
Hepatitis B- Started giving at birth in 1994. So some children may not have received this one, as it was previously not required. It is highly recommended for almost everyone. Will be required by 2010 school year for all students. See attached information sheet.
Hepatitis A- Now required prior to Kindergarten and even prior to most preschools. It is part of the baby series. There will be several school aged children past kindergarten who have not received this vaccine. Please see additional information sheet. This vaccine is now recommended for everyone.
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Booster- Most all children have been vaccinated with a series of DTP or DtaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis combination). Due to recent new cases of whooping cough, a booster vaccination is now required at age 11. It is only in the form of Tdap which is still a combination of Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis immunizations. All adults should have this booster once in their lifetime, so when a “tetanus shot” is due, this would be the preferred form (only one time). Since the usual tetanus booster is every 10 years (unless there is an injury, then anyone past 5 years will be re-immunized), other guidelines are specified in the attached information sheet.
HPV (Gardasil)- Prevents Cervical Cancer. 3 injection series. Not required; is only for females. Highly recommended. See attached general information.
Pneumonia (Pneumovax)- All adults over 65, plus anyone with special health problems that is over the age of two years.