Time is ticking for students to receive their Tdap booster shot.

A new California state law mandates students in grades seven through 12 be vaccinated for pertussis (whooping cough) before beginning the 2011-12 school year.

For the 2012-13 school year and beyond, only students entering the seventh grade will need proof of vaccination.

“Usually a vaccination mandate starts with one grade,” said Karen Harris, Nevada Union High School nurse. “A very voluminous amount of students in Nevada County all have to be vaccinated. Less than a year to meet this mandate, with no extra funding.”

Widespread cases of pertussis resulted in immunization being recommended and eventually required for students. All Californians are encouraged to receive the vaccination.

Only a handful of states don't mandate the Tdap booster shot, Harris said.

Pertussis

Classic pertussis is described as an upper respiratory disease with a worsening cough.

“For teenagers and adults, it may seem to be like a mild cold with a prolonged cough,” Nevada County Department of Public Health Director Dr. Karen Milman said.

Cases weren't being diagnosed and treated; as a result, the disease was spreading.

“That's why there was a push for the vaccination,” Milman said.

“The reason for the mandate is we want to protect the most vulnerable in our society, the infants not yet vaccinated at all, or not fully vaccinated. That's where the deaths are occurring,” Harris said. “It's a public health issue.”

“We encourage people to get this because it protects you and your family, as well as those around you,” Milman said. “It's the other kids in your class. That's why we don't have polio in this country anymore. Horrible illnesses can be prevented.”

There were more than 9,400 confirmed cases of pertussis in California in 2010, and more than 500 so far in 2011, Milman said. Incidents in Nevada County were on par with the rest of the state.

In school

Students must produce proof of immunization in order to receive their fall schedule.

“We are holding the line, no shot, no school,” Harris said. “We have done all calls for each high school, we've done all calls district-wide, we've had it in our bulletin since September. We have sent a bright pink, full-page brief on the mandate home to every single returning student. For our district, that's a lot of students.”

There was originally an April 1 deadline for returning students to produce documentation, Harris said; proof of immunization will be accepted through the school year.

“They just need to bring us their record, or something their doctor has given them that is official and proved they've received the vaccine. Either from the doctor or the clinic,” Harris said.

“If we haven't received it by the last week of school, their schedule will probably be pulled at that point. We can't wait until the first week of August. We don't have the personnel to handle that.

“We want all our students to have a very smooth start to the year. We are now looking at individualized calling as much as possible.”

Parents can choose to opt out of the vaccination by signing a waiver in person at the student's respective school, Harris said.

“There is a waiver they can sign, a personal belief exemption, or they can get a waiver from their doctor,” she said. “If there is an epidemic and the health department mandated it, we would have to exclude students that are not vaccinated.”

Vaccines are not being offered at schools because of funding, Harris said.

“If your insurance covers immunization, if you have private insurance, go to your private physician,” she said.

People on Medi-Cal should visit providers such as the Miners Family Health Center and Chapa de Clinic, both in Grass Valley, she said.

The Tdap booster shot is available for uninsured or underinsured patients at Yuba Docs Urgent Care in Grass Valley. The out-of-pocket cost is $87, staff said.

The Nevada County Department of Public Health has previously offered vaccination clinics.

“The Health Department vaccine is intended for low-income, uninsured individuals,” Milman said. “We're not sure we're going to be able to offer additional vaccine clinics. Everything is evolving on a day-to-day basis with budgets and resources. We are encouraging people to try to get this from doctors or clinics.”

Children without adequate insurance may qualify for the Vaccines for Children Program through the California Department of Public Health. Call 1-877-243-8832.

Harris emphasizes that school officials are willing to do all they can to work with parents.

“We're urging them to call us if they are unsure,” Harris said. “We do not mind being asked.

“Some parents haven't quite realized that this is a new mandate,” she said, adding that in the past immunizations received at kindergarten remained current through high school.

“They are assuming that it doesn't apply to them, it applies to parents who haven't been on top of it. It's an understandable miscommunication.”

The Tdap vaccine covers tetanus.

“Some students may have had an injury or accident and got a tetanus shot and got Tdap,” Harris said. “They need to look at their records and see.

“A lot of kids have had the shot. We've had clinics at the high school for the last three years, but parents don't know they got it,” said Harris.

“We really do not want to turn anyone away in the fall, or cause any last-minute stress,” she said. “We believe in it for public health, and we want kids to be in school.”

ShotsForSchool.org provides information on school immunization mandates.

To contact Staff Writer Angela Diaz,

e-mail adiaz@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4203.