New Jersey now forces Flu Shots on children

Clothes: check. Crayons: check. Lunch box: check. Flu vaccine: Huh?

That's right. New Jersey now requires flu vaccines for preschoolers and children attending licensed child care centers. Now parents will have an additional item to cross off their checklists once the school bells ring in September.

The flu vaccine requirement, along with three additional immunizations, was approved last December. According to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, studies suggest that young children are "particularly efficient in transmitting influenza to their close contacts," including other children, adults and the elderly.

New Jersey is the only state that requires flu vaccines for preschoolers or older students, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Children from 6 months to 59 months old who attend a child-care center or preschool have from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31 to receive the flu vaccine. The state now also requires preschoolers to get a pneumococcal vaccine and sixth-graders to get a whooping cough booster shot and a meningitis shot.

Some doctor's offices are preparing for an increased demand for the flu vaccine, which is available in shot and nasal spray form.

Princeton Nassau Pediatrics ordered about 10 percent more of the vaccine than last year and expects to deliver between 9,000 and 10,000 doses this year, according to Dr. Adam Naddelman, the group's executive vice president.

New Jersey's new requirement is getting resistance from some parent groups who worry about the safety of giving young children vaccine doses.

"I do not think that this should in any way be required for young children," Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination. "There have not been adequate safety studies on this. We don't know how children are going to react to this vaccine."

Currently, the health department only grants religious and medical exemptions to the vaccine requirement. Some parents are urging support for legislation that would allow an exemption for personal or philosophical reasons.

"It's being able to be given the risks, be given the benefits and decide what's appropriate for your child," said Sandra Holbrook of New Providence, who has a 2-year-old starting preschool this year.

Holbrook, who's involved with New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice, said her son won't be getting the flu vaccine and is considering her options _ including moving out of state.

According to the health department, schools are responsible for ensuring that children have their immunizations or have a valid exemption. Local health departments enforce the requirements at schools and perform audits. A school can be fined for not complying with requirements.