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Vaccination Programs: Requirements for Child Care, School, and College Attendance

CDC

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

Vaccination requirements are laws or policies that require anyone attending child care, school, or college to be vaccinated or provide other documentation of immunity. State legislatures may enact statutes that specify required vaccinations or health or education departments may adopt administrative rules. Institutions such as colleges and private schools may establish additional vaccination policies for attendance or residence. Vaccination requirements vary across jurisdictions by comprehensiveness, acceptable documentation of immunity, access to exemptions (especially nonmedical exemptions), and the type and consistency of enforcement.

Results / Accomplishments

The systematic review included 32 studies.

-Overall vaccination rates increased by a median of 18 percentage points (17 studies with 24 study arms).
-Five additional studies examined vaccination outcomes that could not be included in the summary effect estimate, although results were generally favorable.
-The incidence of measles and mumps was lower in U.S. states with immunization requirements for school-aged children, and low-incidence areas were more likely to enforce school entry laws and prevent non-compliant children from attending (3 studies).

About this Promising Practice

Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS V25-5
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
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