Vaccines
Florida
Updated: November 26, 2013
Contact Information
Florida Department of Health - Immunization Program
4052 Bald Cypress Way BIN A11
Tallahassee, 32399
Phone: (850) 245-4342
Fax: (850) 922-4195
Website
Vaccine Requirements for the State of Florida
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, K-12, Seventh Grade, Pre-K | Day Care, Head Start, Pre-K- age appropriate (means that the number of doses of a vaccine a child should have received is dependent upon the child’s age, and this defined by CDC.
K-12- Four or five doses required for children entering, attending, or transferring to Florida schools. Effective with the 2007/2008 school year, children entering, attending, or transferring to the seventh grade or higher in Florida schools are required to have a Tetanus-diphtheria booster (Td or Tdap). Students who started their immunizations after seven years of age should receive a total of three doses of adult tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine with Tdap replacing one dose of the Td. This Tdap dose will meet the 7th grade requirement. Students who started their immunizations after seven years of age should receive a total of three doses of adult tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine with Tdap replacing one dose of the Td. This Tdap dose will meet the 7th grade requirement |
| Hepatitis A | None/No Requirements | None/No Requirements |
| Hepatitis B | Day Care, Head Start, Kindergarten, Seventh Grade | Day Care, PK, K-12 - 3 doses or age appropriate (means that the number of doses of a vaccine a child should have received is dependent upon the child’s age, and this defined by CDC at (www.cdc.gov/nip)
Kindergarten, Seventh Grade- three doses required for school entry An alternate schedule for a two-dose hepatitis B vaccine series is approved for adolescents 11 through 15 years of age. Children in this age group who receive the two-dose series should be considered in compliance with Florida’s hepatitis B immunization requirement for school entry and attendance. |
| Hib | Day Care, Head Start | Day Care, Head Start- (Hib) vaccination is required for public/non-public preschool, childcare, and family daycare home attendees from two months through 59 months of age. The number of doses required for Hib vaccination varies, depending on the child’s age and type of vaccine received. |
| Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) | Day Care, Head Start, K-12, College/University | Day Care, Head Start, K-12- one dose MMR after first birthday. Effective for K to 12 2008/2009: 2nd dose of mumps and rubella. Preferably as two doses of
measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccine in the combined form (MMRV).
Kindergarten, Seventh Grade- a second dose of measles vaccine (preferable as MMR), given at least one month after the first, is required prior to entry; Adolescents eleven to fifteen years of age may receive the two dose series of Recombivax HB Adult College/University MR, M2- All freshman and new enrollees in public universities |
| Meningococcal | College/University | College/University - All college and university students who live in dorms are required 1 dose or student must sign a waiver or if minor, the waiver must be signed by the parent |
| Pneumococcal | Day Care | Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine (Effective January 1, 2008 for children age 2 to 24 months) |
| Polio | Day Care, Head Start, K-12 | Day Care, Head Start- Age appropriate (means that the number of doses of a vaccine a child should have received is dependent upon the child’s age, and this defined by CDC. 4th dose should be given after the child’s 4th birthday.
K-12- 4 doses unless 3rd dose after 4th birthday, then 3 doses Effective school year 2011/2012 for kindergarten entry only, if the fourth dose of polio vaccine was administered prior to the fourth birthday, a fifth dose of polio is required. |
| Varicella | Day Care, K-12, Kindergarten |
2 doses. Beginning with the 2008/2009 school year, children entering kindergarten are required to receive two doses of varicella vaccine. Each subsequent year thereafter, the next highest grade will be included in the requirement. A one-dose varicella requirement started in the 2001/2002 school year applies to students as detailed in the table below. Children entering or attending childcare facilities or family daycare homes are required to have one dose of varicella vaccine on or after their first birthday. Varicella vaccine is NOT required if there is a history of varicella disease documented by the healthcare provider in the space provided on the DH 680 Form. |
