KDHE announces that students need to have only one dose of Varicella vaccine

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has announced that contrary to information that was provided to schools earlier this year, Kansas students are not required to receive two doses of Varicella vaccination prior to enrolling for the 2007-08 school year.

In a memo to Kansas school nurses in January, KDHE had notified school districts that two doses of the vaccination, which provides increased immunity to chickenpox, would become mandatory for kindergarten and first grade students. One dose of the vaccination had been required in previous years, the KDHE statement said.

Although it is highly recommended that all children receive two doses of the Varicella vaccination, a recent audit of the current regulations revealed that only one dose is actually required for students to attend school this year. New regulations are in the process of being approved that will require a second dose, but will not be approved prior to the start of classes, the statement said.

"We recognize that some of our communications regarding this issue have been confusing for parents, schools and health care providers," State Health Officer Howard Rodenberg said. "We want to make sure that this confusion does not preclude any Kansas children from attending school."