Monday, March 9, 2009

Kansas students will be getting more shots before going back to school next fall after the state health department increased immunization requirements.

Students in sixth through ninth grades will see the biggest changes this year, including three doses of hepatitis B vaccine that previously were required only for pupils in kindergarten through fifth grade. All students will be required to have those vaccinations for the 2010-2011 school year.

Also next year, kindergartners will need to have two doses of the chickenpox vaccine; one more than is currently required. And students in grades six through nine will have to have at least one dose of the vaccine, which previously was required only through fifth grade.

All students will have to get two doses of chickenpox vaccine in 2010-2011.