As a parent, you want to be certain that your child is safe during their time in daycare. Even with supervision, there are some things that parents are responsible for when it comes to ensuring a child’s safety in a daycare setting.

At the forefront is vaccinations. Vaccinations serve to protect your child, and others around them, from diseases and illnesses that warrant vaccinations given their history. Daycare vaccine requirements exist to protect children.

Granted, recent studies over the past few years have led to many parents considering the safety of vaccinations.

In reality, many of these studies have often been inconclusive or don’t warrant the level of worry that many parents bear when it comes to vaccinating their children. Without vaccines, diseases, illnesses, and viruses continue to affect the unvaccinated and even morph into more deadly versions.

The goal of vaccines is to protect the recipient and those around them. With this in mind, let’s take a look at recommended immunizations for children from birth to age six, required immunizations for schools.

Can My Child Attend Day Care Without Vaccinations?

Let’s talk COVID-19 vaccinations first. The CDC recommends that children should be five years or older to receive a coronavirus vaccination and booster shot. If your child is below the age of five, you won’t have to worry about daycare vaccination requirements for the virus.

However, HepB, DTaP, Hib, PCV13, IPV, MMR, Varicella, and HepA vaccines are all recommended for children under the age of two.

Even though these vaccines are recommendations, it’s still best practice to immunize your children for diseases like polio, chickenpox, measles, mumps, and others which have been historically proven to spread quickly and hinder overall health.

Aside from these vaccinations for these aforementioned diseases, there is one vaccination that should be administered annually to prevent its spread.

Influenza spreads through direct contact as well as through the air. This virus can result in Pneumonia (infection in the lungs), bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections, and even death. Be sure to vaccinate your child for the flu annually starting as soon as they reach the age of six months old.

Ensuring that your child is vaccinated for all of the aforementioned illnesses, diseases, and viruses will protect them from health complications that could prove detrimental and even fatal in some instances. It’s always best practice to vaccinate your child with the recommended immunizations. 

Can Your Child Go To Daycare Without Vaccines?

Like all health and safety communication, its best to speak with your child’s pediatrician if you find yourself second-guessing the safety of certain vaccinations but still want your child to attend daycare.

More often than not, you’ll find that the recommended vaccines are harmless and simply serve to protect your child. Immunizations certainly do more good than they do harm.

Not only will getting your child vaccinated for illnesses, diseases, and viruses protect them and others, it will allow your child to attend the daycare of your choice.

Daycare vaccination requirements for 2022 according to the DOH are relatively similar to what they’ve always been. HepB, DTaP, Polio, MMR, and Varicella vaccinations are all required for children whether attending daycare or their final year of high school.

COVID-19 vaccinations are not strictly required for children under the age of five, as mentioned earlier. The vaccination requirements must be met in order to ensure that your child can attend daycare through high school. In most cases, parents begin immunizing their children as early as six months old.

Be sure that your child meets their school’s vaccination requirements before they walk into a classroom. 

Daycare Vaccines Requirements and Recommendations

There are certain vaccinations including those for COVID-19, PCV13, influenza, and others that a child is not strictly required to receive in order to attend daycare.

However, following the CDC’s list for the recommended vaccinations for children will ensure that there are no complications with enrollment or your child’s physical health.

In any case, parents should always immunize their children for their own safety and the safety of those around them.

Most importantly, vaccination requirements for the states of NC, OK, TX, VT, WA, and LA all include requirements for HepB, DTaP, Polio, MMR, and Varicella vaccinations for children whether attending daycare or their final year of high school. COVID-19 vaccinations are not strictly required for children under the age of five, as previously mentioned.

If you want your child/children to attend schools in these states, be sure that they have their vaccines 30 days prior to enrollment!

For more information about finding local childcare, visit Wonderschool and discover how we make finding childcare easier for parents!