Beginning July 30, children in Missouri will be required to be vaccinated against chickenpox (varicella).
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Beginning July 30, children in Missouri who attend licensed daycare, preschool, and Head Start centers with 10 or more children will be required to be vaccinated against chickenpox (varicella).
Complications from chickenpox include severe skin infection, scars, pneumonia and brain damage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in the Untied States about 12,000 people a year are hospitalized for chickenpox and about 100 people die.
Children who are 16-59 months of age will be required to have the vaccine or reliable proof that they have had the disease in order to attend daycare. They can obtain the vaccine from their private health care provider or from their local health department.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all children and other susceptible persons over 13 years of age, including those who live in households with children, receive the vaccine.
As of January, 25 states required chickenpox vaccination or proof of immunity for daycare attendance.