A Crash Course on Back-to-School Immunizations for Your Child

With back-to-school season here, now is the time for parents to make sure their children are vaccinated against common childhood diseases. Getting back on track with routine immunizations is important to protect school-aged kids - and their classmates - from getting sick.

The state of routine shots

The Centers for Disease Control tracks nationwide coverage of vaccinations for kindergartners with its SchoolVax tool, and the data shows a trend toward less overall coverage since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, the rate of vaccination for MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) was 95.2% for the 2019-20 school year, but it has fallen to 92.7% for the 2023-24 school year.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends routine vaccines as they are a great tool to keep kids healthy in school. Vaccinations can provide immunity against disease outbreaks, reduce the spread of disease in schools and reduce duration of diseases.

What you can do

Talk to your pediatrician about vaccinations for your child and keep a record of what immunizations are due and completed for different ages and grades. Make sure your child, and others they're in contact with, are protected.

The New Jersey Department of Health requires all students enrolled in a school or daycare center to receive the immunizations published in the Immunization of Pupils in School rules. These charts below share which vaccination doses are required for students in each school grade.

Horizon Health News is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.