Meningitis Shots Added To Required Vaccine List In Wisconsin Schools

WISCONSIN — Vaccination against meningitis — a potentially deadly swelling of the brain typically caused by bacterial and viral infection — will be newly required for many of Wisconsin's middle and high school students in the fall, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Wednesday.

The addition of the meningitis shots (or MenACWY-containing vaccine) is the most distinct change from previous requirements. Students will be required to get an initial shot for entry to 7-11th grades and a booster shot will be required for entry to 12th grade, according to a summary of the changes. Updates were also made for whooping cough (DTaP) immunizations, increasing the age from 6th to 7th grade.

Previously for entry into kindergarten through sixth grade, Wisconsin required vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR; diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis, or DTaP; polio, varicella chickenpox, and Hepatitis B.

See also: Childhood Measles Vaccination In Wisconsin Lags Behind National Levels: CDC

“Each of these vaccines is already recommended for children, and today’s update improves that protection. Parents who choose to keep their children up to date on vaccinations are not only protecting their own child’s health but are making a choice that protects the people who live and work in their communities,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Deb Standridge in a news release.

The process for acquiring an exemption for the vaccines remains the same as before, the DHS said. Vaccination against COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccines, although strongly recommended by state health officials, will not be required.

Amid the changes, the DHS said child care centers should start working with parents to confirm documentation. Schools are set to implement the changes for the 2023-2024 school year, the state health agency said.

The changes come amid a drop in vaccination rates in Wisconsin's child care centers and schools. The DHS said 88.7 percent of students met the minimum immunization requirements in 2021-2022, a 3.2 percent decline over the year previous. Further, 3.3 percent of students were behind schedule for getting their shots, the health agency said.

Other changes to the vaccine requirements include:

• Requiring confirmation through a qualified health care provider that a child has had chickenpox in order to be exempt from the varicella vaccine.
• Aligning the definition of "substantial outbreak" with CDC definitions.
• Requiring schools to give reports of vaccine compliance and disease outbreak to state health officials.

Besides working with their health care providers, parents can call 211 or use the Vaccines for Children program to find the necessary shots for their students.

More information about the different vaccines required in Wisconsin schools can be found on the DHS website.