HONOLULU — The Hawaii Department of Health encourages parents of students entering seventh grade in this coming school year to schedule a visit with their health care provider as soon as possible.
Hawaii law requires all students to submit official documentation to their schools indicating they have received the required vaccinations and have undergone a physical exam.
Before the first day of the 2024-2025 school year, all seventh-grade students must receive the following vaccines and be able to provide official documentation:
- Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
- Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
- Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)
Many children may not have received vaccines since kindergarten which means the protection they had when they started school has declined, according to Hawaii DOH. Staying current with immunizations protects the child and contributes to overall health by preventing disease outbreaks in school.
Hawaii DOH says students entering seventh grade are also now old enough to receive additional vaccines to prevent other serious diseases.
The department encourages parents to schedule the first HPV vaccination as soon as possible since two doses are required. The HPV series helps protect children against a family of viruses strongly associated with certain types of cancer.
First-time school children must also complete a tuberculosis clearance form with the health care provider.
Parents who need assistance connecting with a health care provider can call Aloha United Way at 211.
Additional information on Hawaii’s school health requirements is available on the Hawaii DOH website.