In order to continue to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases throughout adolescence, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health has added several adolescent immunizations to the school attendance immunization requirements. Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, all West Virginia students entering 7th grade must have had one dose of the Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) and one dose of the meningococcal vaccine. Students entering 12th grade must also have had at least one dose of the Tdap vaccine and a second dose of the meningococcal vaccine. If the first dose of the meningococcal vaccine was received after age 16, then only one dose of this vaccine is required.
