Published on August 06, 2026
Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) is sharing with the community the importance of making sure your child is up to date on routine immunizations prior to the start of the 2026-2027 school year. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children stay on track with their well-child appointments and routine vaccinations. On-time vaccination is critical to provide protection against potentially life-threatening diseases and reduce the severity of illness.
Children attending any public, private, or religious day care or pre-K through 12th grade school in New York State (NYS) are required to be immunized with a complete series of all required vaccines, unless they are medically exempt. A medical exemption is allowed when a child has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving a vaccine. There are no non-medical exemptions to school vaccine requirements in NYS.
TCWH’s Director of the Division of Community Health, Rachel Buckwalter, stated, “Pediatric offices are very busy this time of year, so now is the time to call and make an appointment for your child’s vaccinations. Plan ahead to avoid the rush and to avoid having your child excluded from school due to missing vaccinations.”
If you are unsure of your child’s immunization history, speak with your child’s school nurse or contact your child’s healthcare provider.
Children who are not fully immunized can only continue to attend school or pre-K if they are in the process of completing their immunization according to the AAP’s catch-up schedule.
If children are following other immunization schedules that do not meet the intervals specified by the AAP catch-up schedule, then they are no longer considered to be “in process” and must be excluded from school, if not otherwise exempt. Students not meeting vaccination requirements will be excluded from school beginning on Wednesday, September 23rd, or Friday, October 9th if they are entering the district from outside of New York State.
Within 14 days of the first day of school or day care, parents or caregivers must:
Show proof of their child's up-to-date vaccinations, OR
Provide a valid medical exemption from vaccination.
In order to attend or remain in school or day care, children who are unvaccinated or overdue must receive at least the first dose of all required vaccines within the first 14 days. They also must receive subsequent vaccines in the series within a 14-day period of when they are due to complete the immunization series.
Tompkins County Whole Health offers immunization clinics every Friday through the New York State funded Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. Clinics are open from 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm by appointment. Your child may be eligible for participation in our Friday clinics if they:
Do not have insurance
Are currently enrolled in Medicaid
Have Child Health Plus
Are underinsured: their insurance does not cover the vaccine
Are Native American or Alaska Native
Parents can find out more about the recommended immunization schedule on the AAP’s partner website. The AAP’s recommended vaccination schedules are as follows:
Birth to age 6
Age 7 –18 years
Learn more about Whole Health’s Community Health Services online or call the office directly at 607-274-6604.
Tompkins County Whole Health: envisioning a future where every person in Tompkins County can achieve wellness. Find us online at: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or X. Sign up to receive Whole Health updates or other county announcements via email or text.
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