Changes in School Immunization Law Related to Varicella Disease

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is asking for your help in implementing a change in how varicella disease history is reported under the school immunization law. This will make it easier for parents to document varicella disease so their children can go to school.

The Change:

As of September 1, 2010, a parent’s/guardian’s signature will no longer be accepted to document history of a child’s varicella disease in either kindergarten or seventh grade. Only the following will be legally acceptable to document a student’s history of varicella disease:

• the signature of a provider along with the date of the child's varicella illness,

• the signature of a provider along with a statement that the parent's or legal guardian's description of the child's varicella disease history is indicative of past varicella infection, or

• the signature of a provider or a representative of a public clinic along with laboratory evidence of the child's varicella immunity.

 

Here are some recommended ways that you can help with this change:

1. Accept a parent’s description of past or current varicella disease over the phone so they do not have to come into the office.

2. Ensure that health care workers in your clinic document history of varicella disease in the patient’s record.

3. Remember to document history of varicella disease in the State Immunization Registry (MIIC).

4. Modify your clinic’s immunization record to include information about varicella disease history.
    

When the varicella immunization was added to Minnesota’s School Immunization Law in the fall of 2004, (Minn. Rules, Chapter 4604.0900, subpart 3) a parent’s/guardian’s signature was allowed to document history of a child’s varicella disease. However, this was only temporary and it expires on August 31, 2010. This change was put into the law because as more children get their varicella shots, we have less chickenpox disease and more parents/guardians who have never seen a case of chickenpox and can’t recognize it. The medical knowledge of a doctor is needed to make sure a child had the chickenpox – and not some other disease – so they are truly immune.

View Fact Sheet for Health Care Providers (PDF)

For more information, contact Patti Segal Freeman at 651-201-5503 or 1-800-657-3970 or at Patricia.segal.freeman@state.mn.us