The Department of State Health Services will allow some students to temporarily attend school if they have not received certain immunizations by today.

The agency has issued an emergency rule effective August 24, 2009, that will permit schools to provisionally enroll students that may not have had certain required immunizations. Under the emergency rule, students who are required to have, but have not yet received one or more of these three vaccinations may be provisionally enrolled in school through September 30, 2009.

This emergency rule delays the following requirements relating to meningococcal, tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, and varicella vaccines:

meningococcal vaccine;
tetanus/diptheria/pertussis (Tdap) vaccines for Texas students entering 7th grade and boosters for students entering grades 8-12; and
varicella vaccine for students entering kindergarten and those entering 7th grade.

Pertussis is another name for whooping cough. Varicella refers to chicken pox.

Shortages of these vaccines have been reported around the state.

DSHS officials said available supply of these three vaccines in some local clinics and medical offices has been exhausted due to an increased demand.

Revised vaccination requirements announced last spring for the 2009-2010 school year added doses of the three vaccines at certain grade levels.

Without the extension, full immunizations would have been required beginning the first day of school.

The emergency rule was signed by Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins and was submitted to the Texas Register this morning and is effective immediately.

If you have questions about these immunizations, please contact DSHS at 1-800-252-9152.