HONOLULU Hawaii health officials will require sixth graders to be immunized with HPV and other vaccines before the start of the next school year.
HONOLULU — Hawaii health officials will require sixth graders to be immunized with HPV and other vaccines before the start of the next school year.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Thursday that more than 13,200 sixth-grade students in public schools including charters will be affected by the new rule.
Officials say parents risk the exclusion of their children from middle school enrollment without the immunizations.
Officials say parents will need to provide proof a child received one dose each of tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis vaccine and meningococcal conjugate vaccine.
Students will also need proof of two doses of the vaccine against HPV, which can cause cervical and other types of cancer.
A 2018 state study found only 35% of girls and 19% of boys in Hawaii had received the recommended HPV shots.
———
Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, http://www.staradvertiser.com
