Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, all students 9th-12th grade are required by Washington State law to have received two doses of Varicella (chickenpox) Vaccine. If your student already got two Varicella vaccines or had chickenpox, then it is not required to get the vaccine again.

When your student gets the chickenpox vaccine, please bring your shot record to the school office or fill in a form with the dates below that your student got the vaccination and return it to the school (The form can be found on the Peninsula High School website).  If your student already got the vaccines or had chickenpox and the school has this information, this form does not need to be returned.

“This requirement is based on national requirements. This change will benefit students not only from the spread of chickenpox but also the increased risk of diseases for when you become an adult and had chickenpox as children,” said Michelle Wood, PHS’s school nurse.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, teens are at higher risk of severe complications if they get chickenpox. The new requirement helps protect these students.

But, there will be school exclusion for any student who does not provide vaccine dates or proof of disease.

“Since this is a state rule all students are required to have these vaccinations. If there is a religious or medical reason as to why you cannot have this vaccination then you will have to fill out an exempt form, but other ways they have to have it and will not be allowed in school until they do,” said Wood.

Peninsula High School has never had a huge amounts of cases and some students don’t feel that the exclusion is necessary because of the low amounts of cases.

“I think it is unfair that students can’t come to school without it. Some students may have parents who are unable to take them to the doctors to get the vaccine. With the new CORE 24, you can’t fail a class and with missing school if you don’t have the vaccine, then it will be hard to make up the work.” said Olivia Webb, a 9th grader at Peninsula High School.

Some people may think this, but the new requirement is in the best interest of teens to prevent further diseases.

It is strongly encouraged that parents get students to a doctors as soon as possible to get up to date on their required vaccines before the new school year starts.