The Ohio Department of Health revised the School Immunization Requirements for students who will be in 12th Grade for the 2016-2017 school year. Therefore, your current 11th grade student may need to receive ONE OR TWO doses of the Meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) prior to beginning their senior and final year at Thomas W. Harvey High School. If the first dose of the MCV4 vaccine was administered on or after the 16th birthday, a second dose is not required.

The ODH is requiring a Meningococcal vaccine to protect your child against Meningococcal disease which is a serious life threatening vaccine-preventable infection. This bacterial infection can cause an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord or sepsis (an infection of the bloodstream). Approximately 1000 cases of meningococcal disease occur in the United States each year. The bacteria are spread by exchanging respiratory and throat secretions during close or lengthy contact.

We are providing you this information now so that you have ample time to schedule the appointment prior to the first day of the new school year which is Wednesday, August 17. The State of Ohio requires that students be excluded from school if verification of the Meningococcal vaccine is not received by the first day of the new school year.

A copy of your child's immunization record or a signed note from the physician will suffice for the documentation which must include the day, month and year of the vaccine(s) and may be turned in this summer to the Student Services office at the Board of Education or to Nurse Rob on the first day of school.

Please see attached letter from Chris Young, Director of Student Services and Rob Bottiggi, School Nurse.