Vaccines

Colorado

Updated: November 1, 2013

Contact Information

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment 
Immunization Program 
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South 
Denver, 80246 
Phone: (303) 692-2650 
Fax: (303) 691-6118 
Website

Vaccine Requirements for the State of Colorado

Vaccine requirements may be relaxed or eliminated in some regions and/or states due to shortages in the manufacture of some vaccines. Please contact your healthcare provider, or your local public health department for more information.

Vaccine Age/Grade Comments
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP) Day Care, Head Start, K-12
Five doses of pertussis, tetanus, and diphtheria vaccines are required at school entry in Colorado unless the 4th dose was 
given at 48 months of age or older (i.e., on or after the 4th birthday) in which case only 4 doses are required. There must 
be at least 4 weeks between dose 1 and dose 2, at least 4 weeks between dose 2 and dose 3, at least 4 months between 
dose 3 and dose 4 and at least 6 months between dose 4 and dose 5. The final dose must be given no sooner than 4 
years of age (dose 4 may be given at 12 months of age provided there is at least 4 months between dose 3 and dose 4). 
If a child has received 6 doses of DTaP before the age of 4 years, no additional doses are required.
Five doses of pertussis, tetanus, and diphtheria vaccines are required at school entry in Colorado unless the 4th dose was given at 48 months of age or older (i.e., on or after the 4th birthday) in which case only 4 doses are required. There must be at least 4 weeks between dose 1 and dose 2, at least 4 weeks between dose 2 and dose 3, at least 4 months between dose 3 and dose 4 and at least 6 months between dose 4 and dose 5. The final dose must be given no sooner than 4 years of age (dose 4 may be given at 12 months of age provided there is at least 4 months between dose 3 and dose 4). If a child has received 6 doses of DTaP before the age of 4 years, no additional doses are required.

K-12 - Any student 7 years of age or older at school entry in Colorado who has not completed a full series of DTaP is required to have 3 appropriately spaced tetanus/diphtheria containing vaccine (DT, DTaP, Td, or Tdap). Appropriately spaced includes at least 4 weeks between dose 1 and 2 and at least 6 months between dose 2 and 3. A student 7 years of age or older who receives a single dose of Tdap to complete this tetanus/diphtheria requirement will have also met the Tdap requirement for 6th through 12th grades.

One dose of Tdap is required for students 11 – 12 years of age at 6th grade entry, regardless of the interval since the last dose of DTaP, DT, or Td. If a student has received a Tdap between the ages of 7 – 10 yrs, as noted in footnote “c,” they have met the Tdap requirement for 6th through 12th grades

Hepatitis A None/No Requirements None/No Requirements
Hepatitis B Day Care, Head Start, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, Seventh Grade, Eighth Grade, Ninth Grade, Tenth Grade, Eleventh Grade, Twelfth Grade Day Care, Head Start, K-12 - For hepatitis B, in lieu of immunization, written evidence of a laboratory test showing immunity is acceptable. The second dose is to be administered at least 4 weeks after the first dose, and the third dose is to be administered at least 16 weeks after the first dose and at least 8 weeks after the second dose. The final dose is to be administered at 24 weeks of age (6 months of age) or older and is not to be administered prior to 6 months of age. Minimum age/interval does not apply to those students who had 3 doses of the vaccine administered prior to July 1, 2009.
Hib Day Care, Head Start The number of Hib vaccine doses required depends on the student’s current age and the age when the vaccine was administered. If any dose was given at 15 months of age or older, the Hib vaccine requirement is met. For students who began the series before 12 months of age, 3 doses are required of which at least 1 dose must have been administered at 12 months of age or older (i.e., on or after the 1st birthday). If the 1st dose was given at 12 to 14 months of age, 2 doses are required. If the current age is 5 years of age or older, no new or additional doses are required.

 

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Day Care, Head Start, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade For measles, mumps, and rubella, in lieu of immunization, written evidence of a laboratory test showing immunity is acceptable for the specific disease tested. The 1st dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine must have been administered at 12 months of age or older (i.e., on or after the 1st birthday) to be acceptable. Documentation of 1 dose of rubella vaccine and 2 doses of measles and 2 doses of mumps vaccines on or after the first birthday meets the school requirement.

The 2nd dose of measles vaccine or measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine must have been administered at least 28 calendar days after the 1st dose. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is not required for college students born before January 1, 1957.

Meningococcal College/University Information concerning meningococcal disease and the meningococcal vaccine shall be provided to each new student or if the student is under 18 years, to the student’s parent or guardian. If the student does not obtain a vaccine, a signature must be obtained from the student or if the student is under 18 years, the student’s parent or guardian indicating that the information was reviewed.
Pneumococcal Day Care The number of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) doses required depends on the student’s current age and the age when the 1st dose was administered. If the 1st dose was administered before 6 months of age, the child is required to receive 3 doses 2 months apart and an additional dose between 12 – 15 months of age. If started between 7 – 11 months of age, the child is required to receive 2 doses, two months apart and an additional dose between 12 – 15 months of age. For any student who received the 3rd dose on or after the first birthday, a 4th dose is not required. If the 1st dose was given at 12 to 23 months of age, 2 doses are required. If any dose was given at 24 months of age through 4 years of age, the PCV vaccine requirement is met. If the current age is 5 years or older, no new or additional doses are required.
Polio Day Care, Head Start, K-12 Four doses of polio vaccine are required at school entry in Colorado unless the 3rd dose was given at 48 months of age or older (i.e., on or after the 4th birthday) in which case only 3 doses are required. There must be at least 4 weeks between dose 1 and dose 2, at least 4 weeks between dose 2 and dose 3 and at least 6 months between dose 3 and dose 4. The final dose must be given no sooner than 4 years of age. Minimum age/interval does not apply if 4th dose of polio (3rd dose if given after 4th birthday) was administered prior to July 1, 2009.
Varicella Day Care, Kindergarten, Seventh Grade Day Care, Head Start, K-12 - For varicella, written evidence of a laboratory test showing immunity or a documented disease history from a health care provider is acceptable. The 1st dose of varicella vaccine must have been administered at 12 months of age or older (i.e., on or after the 1st birthday) to be acceptable. n If the second dose of varicella vaccine was administered to a child before 13 years of age, the minimum interval between dose 1 and dose 2 is three months, however, if the second dose is administered at least 28 days following the first dose, the second dose does not need to be repeated. For a child who is 13 years of age or older, the second dose of varicella vaccine must have been administered at least 28 calendar days after the 1st dose. See Table 2 for the school years/grade levels that the 1st and 2nd doses of varicella will be required.

 

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