Section 7 – Immunizations and Communicable Diseases

Regulatory Language

• RCW Chapter 28A.210 Health-Screening and Requirements, includes immunization and contagious diseases

Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Immunization Resources

• School and Child Care Immunization
  • Immunization Manual for Schools, Preschools and Child Care Facilities
  • Vaccines required for school attendance
  • Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) (June 2021)
  • Exemptions from Immunization Requirements- Certificate of Exemption (COE)
  • School K-12 Resources and Sample Letters
• Washington State Immunization Information System (formerly Child Profile Immunization Registry)
• Ask the Immunization Nurse (email contact)
• Washington State Local Health Jurisdictions

General Immunization Resources

• Immunization Schedules (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023)
• Plain Talk About Childhood Immunization (English, Russian and Spanish) (King County Public Health, 7th Edition, 2018) Document may be downloaded, or a printed copy may be ordered through the contact person.
• Vaccine Education Center (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)
• Immunize.org

General Communicable Disease Resources

• A-Z Diseases and Conditions (CDC)
• Topics A-Z (DOH)
• Notifiable Conditions/Disease Reporting Information (DOH)
• Infectious Disease Control Guide for School Staff (DOH, June 2024)
• Communicable disease letters for families

Materials may be reproduced with credit given to the Child Care Health Program, Public Health – Seattle & King County. If materials are adapted, please add the phrase “Adapted from materials developed by the Child Care Health Program, Public Health – Seattle & King County.” (King County Public Health, October 27, 2020)

• Parent Letters (Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department)
• epiTRENDS is a monthly online publication produced by the Washington DOH with current topics in communicable disease including new and recent outbreaks.

COVID-19

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
  • General Information
  • Schools and Child Care Programs
• Washington State Department of Health (DOH)
  • COVID-19
  • Guidance to Prevent and Respond to COVID-19 in K-12 Schools and Child Cares (Updated May 2023)
  • Local Health Jurisdictions
• Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
  • Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance and Resources
• Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
  • Novel Coronavirus Outbreak (COVID-19) Resources
  • L&I Requirements and Guidance for Preventing COVID-19

Head Lice

• Clinical Report – Head Lice (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2022)
• Head Lice FAQs (Harvard School of Public Health)
• Lice (DOH)
• Head Lice Information (Snohomish County Health Department)
• Head Lice Management in Schools (NASN)

Infectious Disease

• Managing Infectious Diseases in Schools (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2023)
• Addressing Biological Hazards that May Impact Students, Staff, and Visitors (Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools, US Department of Education)
• Infectious Disease Control guide for School Staff (DOH, 2024)

Influenza

Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

• Influenza (Flu) information (CDC)
• Flu Overview (DOH)
• Fight Flu Toolkit (CDC)

Pandemic Flu

• Pandemic Flu Information (DOH)
• How to Respond: Injury and Illness at School (OSPI, 2016)
• Pandemic Flu Checklist (King County Public Health, 2021)
• Basic Components of Pandemic Planning (Homeland Security Digital Library, 2006)

Meningococcal Disease

• Meningococcal Disease – About the Disease (CDC, May 31, 2019)
• Meningitis (Meningococcal Disease) (DOH)
• Voices of Meningitis™ National public health initiative from the National Association of School Nurses, March 2016

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aurea (MRSA) (DOH)
• Fact Sheets & Posters for Parents, Athletes & Clinicians (CDC, February 2019)
• MRSA Information (multiple languages) (Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department)
  See ‘Related Documents’ & ‘Related Links’ on MRSA