1,200 East County HS Students Could Be Barred from Campus Friday

Despite months of preparation and communication efforts made by the about AB 354—the state law that requires all students grades 7-12 to provide proof of a —more than 1,200 district students are still without proof, and are at risk of being excluded from classes, officials said Monday.

The district’s schools will be working diligently with parents over the next week to ensure that all enrolled students meet the legal requirement of having the “whooping cough” immunization, said Catherine Martin, the GUHSD director of public affairs.

Martin expressed a sense of urgency, since the state’s 30-day extension for immunizations expires Thursday. After that time, any student who has not shown proof of the booster shot—or has gotten a belief waiver—will be excluded from attending classes.

“For our district and districts across the county, meeting this requirement is vital. We do not want students to be absent from school for even one day,”  Martin said.

“Every missed day of school is a day of missed learning. Our goal is for every child to come to school in optimal health. Unvaccinated children can present a health risk to themselves and their peers.”

Helix Charter High School reached 100% compliance with the Tdap law by late September, officials said.

The shots can be obtained from any local pharmacy. A list of local pharmacies can also be found in the attached PDF.

Here is a breakdown of students still needing T-dap shots at local schools:

• - 109 students
• Mount Miguel High School - 359 students
• Grossmont High School_ - 129 students
• - 68 students
• - 142 students

The Tdap requirement is a result of Assembly Bill 354, which took effect July 1 and requires tweens and teens through 12th grade—in public and private schools—to show proof of having received the pertussis booster shot, or Tdap, to enroll in school.

According to a state FAQ, personal-belief exemptions are allowed. But the state Department of Public Health says:

A parent or guardian may have a child exempted from required immunizations if immunization is contrary to his/her beliefs. Schools have standardized procedures for parents and guardians who request a personal beliefs exemption. Exemptions to immunization should not be taken because of convenience. Unimmunized students are at greater risk of contracting diseases and spreading them to their families, schools and communities. Schools should maintain an up-to-date list of students with exemptions, so that these students can be excluded from school quickly if an outbreak occurs.

AB 354 was passed after last year’s pertussis epidemic, which set  records for whooping cough cases statewide, including San Diego County, where 1,144 cases were reported.

Ken Stone contributed to this report.