New Influenza Education Requirements
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Department of Public Health
William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute
305 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Bureau of Infectious Disease
Division of Epidemiology and Immunization
Tel: (617) 983-6800
Fax: (617) 983-6840
DEVAL L. PATRICK
GOVERNOR
JOHN W. POLANOWICZ
SECRETARY
CHERYL BARTLETT, RN
COMMISSIONER
TO: Massachusetts School Administrators, School Nurses, and Educators
FROM: Pejman Talebian, MA, MPH, Director, Immunization Program
Susan M. Lett, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Immunization Program
DATE: August 2013
RE: New Influenza Education Requirement
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) would like to inform all Massachusetts schools and early education providers that legislation, An Act Relative to Immunization Awareness, (MGL c.111, § 229) is effective this year which requires all elementary and secondary schools and all providers of early education to distribute to parents and guardians information regarding the benefits of annual influenza vaccination for children 6 months to 18 years of age. This information shall include the causes and symptoms of the disease, how it is spread, how to obtain additional information regarding the disease, and the effectiveness and risks of vaccination.
Distribution of the attached flyer, The Flu: A Guide for Parents, will meet the requirements of this new legislation. The flyer is also available at www.mass.gov/flu. We encourage you to distribute this to parents through all normal channels of communication, including sending it home with students, email, newsletters, and posting it on your website.
Please keep in mind that flu season is unpredictable and even during mild seasons influenza can cause illness and even death for thousands of people in the United States. It also causes a substantial amount of missed school among students, faculty, and staff. The single best way to prevent influenza is vaccination of everyone six months of age and older.
Generating Revenue from School Flu Clinics:
UMass Medical School's Commonwealth Medicine Center for Health Care Financing works with health plans to provide reimbursement for the administration of state-supplied flu vaccine to children in schools. Schools and local health departments that participate in this program will be reimbursed for the costs of administering state-supplied flu vaccine to..
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Thank you and contact your school nurse with any concerns or questions!