PINELLAS COUNTY — The Department of Health (DOH) publication “Immunization Guidelines for Florida Schools, Child Care Facilities, and Family Day Care Homes” is the current source for information regarding immunization requirements for school enrollment.
It is periodically updated and available through the DOH Bureau of Immunization at bit.ly/ImmunizationGuidelines.
Florida’s school immunization law requires all students in public schools in kindergarten-12th grade and public preschool, including foreign exchange students, to have documentation of proper immunization or exemption to attend school.
Mandatory exclusion from school is required by law in Florida until acceptable immunization documentation is presented. All immunizations must be presented on a Florida DOH Form 680 – Certificate of Immunization.
Most Department of Health locations in Pinellas offer childhood vaccinations at no cost.
In addition to the listed required vaccines, the CDC strongly recommends and encourages that preteens and teens receive vaccines for HPV and Meningococcal disease. HPV guards against the cancer-causing human papillomavirus and is recommended for preteen boys and girls at age 11 or 12. Meningococcal vaccines guard against the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease and are recommended for preteen boys and girls at age 11 or 12.
All children should be vaccinated against the flu every year, ideally by October.
