Data on the CT DPH School Immunization Survey will no longer be updated here. For data on the annual surveys go to https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/n5kk-6ext.

Each year in the United States influenza causes approximately 20,000 hospitalizations and nearly 100 deaths in children younger than 5 years of age. Preschool-aged children are at increased risk for severe influenza-related illness and complications. Congregate school settings facilitate influenza transmission among susceptible children. In 2009, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that all children aged 6 months–18 years receive an annual dose of influenza vaccine. To protect against influenza transmission in these settings, Connecticut became the second U.S. state to implement regulations requiring that all children aged 24-59 months receive at least 1 dose of influenza vaccine each year to attend a Pre-Kindergarten program, effective January 2012. After implementation of the regulations, vaccination rates among Connecticut children aged 24-59 months increased from 67% in 2009-10 to 84% by 2012-13. During the 2017-2018 school year 86.3% of pre-kindergarten students in Connecticut received influenza vaccine and 93.5% were in compliance with vaccination requirements.

Note: Compliancy is defined as the percent of students fully vaccinated divided by the subtotal of students excluding those with exemptions (subtotal =total number of students minus the number of exempt students).

These data are current as of October 2018.

DPH Immunization Partners

Government: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CT Department of Social Services/Community Health Network (CHN), CT Department of Children and Families, CT Local Health Departments/Districts, Tribal Governments, Health Departments from other states, Emergency Response and Public Health Preparedness

Organizations and Coalitions: Connecticut Vaccine Advisory Council (CVAC), Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Foundation for Children, CT American Lung Association, American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA), Every Child By Two, Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), American Cancer Society

Business and Industry: Pharmaceutical companies that produce vaccines, Immunization Information System (IIS) vendors, electronic health record (EHR) vendors, insurance companies

Health Care: Private and public providers, community health centers, school based health centers, hospitals

Education: Daycares, schools and colleges, Board of Nursing, State Department of Education, Yale School of Public Health

Community Services: CT Department of Social Services, Community Health Network (CHN), Local WIC Offices, tribal services, services for immigrants and refugees, homeless shelters and programs, domestic violence shelters and programs, Hispanic Health Council, Maternal Infant Outreach Program - City of Hartford Health and Human Services (MIOP) , Family Strides, Head Start, Healthy Start, Nurturing Families, Connections, Mom’s Project, Positive Parenting, Project Mother Care, Reach out and Read, Birth to Three, libraries, churches, Community Health Center Family Wellness Center/New Britain, Weston Women’s League, Human Resources Agency of New Britain (HRA), Family and Children’s Agency (FCA) of Norwalk, Spanish Speaking Center, United Way

The Public: Parents and the general public

Requiring influenza vaccination for Pre-K attendance increased flu vaccination rates in Connecticut.

*School Immunization statutes 10-204a-1, 10-204a-2a, 10-204a-3a and 10-204a-4 effective February 15, 2011

The Connecticut Vaccine Program is Connecticut’s childhood vaccination program. It ensures all children in the state get the vaccinations they need, when they need them, to stay healthy. The state buys vaccine at the lowest possible price through a government contract, and gives the vaccines at no cost to clinics, private doctors, and other health care providers. These providers then vaccinate children without charging patients for the cost of the vaccine (health care providers may still charge an administration fee). Without this program, some insurance companies may not cover the full cost of vaccine, making it too expensive for some families.

The Immunization Program will continue to survey schools annually to monitor school compliance and enforcement of school immunization regulations to ensure children are meeting immunization requirements. The Immunization Program will also continue to educate for providers, parents, and the general public on the importance of vaccinations in preventing vaccine-preventable disease and working with providers using the state immunization registry to assure children in their practice are adequately immunized.