Seminole County school reminds families of 7th-grade Tdap requirement

Teague Middle School reminded Seminole County families that students entering seventh grade must have one Tdap booster on file, or an approved exemption, to satisfy Florida’s school immunization rule. Seminole County Health Department resources can help parents get records in order.

Florida requires students entering, attending, or transferring to seventh grade to complete one Tdap dose, the adult-strength vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. The dose must be documented on Form DH 680, the state form used to record school immunizations. Florida has required the seventh-grade Tdap dose since the 2009-2010 school year, and the state has added another grade each year since then.

The same state guidance allows two kinds of exemptions. A religious exemption is issued through county health departments on Form DH 681 when immunizations conflict with the religious tenets and practices of a child’s parent or guardian. A temporary medical exemption can be recorded on Form DH 680. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a routine single Tdap dose at ages 11 to 12, with catch-up vaccination for teens who missed it earlier.

Seminole County’s School Health Program is a collaboration between the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Department of Education. It provides school-based health services. The county also offers immunization services and online upload of immunization records. Florida SHOTS is the state immunization registry used by parents, providers and schools to track vaccination records.

Other Seminole County schools, including Sanford Middle School, also flagged an additional immunization requirement for students entering seventh grade next school year.