Effective July 1, 2021, children 16 years of age and older, who are entering the 11th grade (including new entrants), must have received one booster dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4), unless their initial dose was administered on or after their 16th birthday.
As a reminder, meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial illness that affects the brain and the spinal cord in the form of meningitis, and the bloodstream in the form of septicemia. It can cause shock, coma, and death within hours of the first symptoms.
If students have not been vaccinated against meningococcal disease, we strongly recommend they visit their doctor or health care provider to get their MCV4 booster shot. Receiving the MCV4 booster now will not only help protect students against the ongoing threat of meningitis, but will also meet the new school entry requirement.
Parents of students without health insurance or those whose health plan does not cover these vaccines, may call their local health department and ask about getting no or low cost vaccines. For more information, visit http://dph.georgia.gov/vaccines-children or call (800)-848-3868.
