New School Year, New Vaccinations for Kentucky Students

Before the 2018-2019 school year begins--in less than a month, believe it or not--all Kentucky students from pre-school through 12th grade will be required to receive the  Hepatitis A vaccine, with those 16 and older receiving an additional immunization.

WKYT-Lexington reports that the requirement is a byproduct of recent Hepatitis A outbreaks around the Commonwealth--a staggering 1,100 cases.

The second immunization, for the older students, is for a Meningitis booster vaccine.

The Hepatitis A is administered in separate doses six months apart. The Meningitis booster is only one shot.

The Kentucky Department of Health tells WKYT that, in the case of the Hepatitis A vaccines, only the first one is required prior the beginning of the school year.