What vaccines are required for schools in Illinois?

Illinois requires school-aged children to have specific immunizations, including DTaP, Polio, MMR, Hepatitis B, and Varicella, with additional doses and newer vaccines like Meningococcal required for entry into middle school (6th grade) and high school (12th grade), building up over time, with details varying slightly by entry grade level for specific numbers of doses and timing.

What vaccines are mandatory for school in Illinois?

Minimum Immunization Requirements for Children Enrolling or Entering a Child Care Facility or School in Illinois, 2025-2026

• Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus. Vaccine Requirement. ...
• Measles. Vaccine Requirement. ...
• Rubella. ...
• Mumps. ...
• Hepatitis B. ...
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) ...
• Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (PCV) ...
• Varicella.

Can kids still go to school if they are not vaccinated?

Yes, unvaccinated kids can often go to school, but it depends heavily on state laws, as all U.S. states have immunization requirements for school entry, with varying allowances for medical, religious, or personal belief exemptions. While most states permit exemptions, unvaccinated children may be excluded from school during disease outbreaks, and states like Mississippi and West Virginia don't allow non-medical waivers, meaning only medical exemptions are accepted. 

Can I refuse to vaccinate my child in Illinois?

In Illinois, CPS cannot remove a child solely for not vaccinating. Removal typically requires evidence of neglect or abuse beyond vaccination status. Parents should understand state immunization laws and exemptions. If concerns arise, CPS evaluates the child's overall safety and well-being.

Are there vaccine exemptions in Illinois?

In Illinois, religious exemptions are the only non-medical exemption families can seek. Back in 2015, Illinois made it more difficult to receive religious exemptions.

Illinois colleges weigh mandatory vaccine requirements

What if I refuse to vaccinate my child?

Refusing to vaccinate your child leaves them vulnerable to serious, potentially fatal diseases like measles and whooping cough, risks excluding them from childcare and school, and can jeopardize community health, though state laws vary on non-medical (religious/personal) exemptions for school entry, requiring a doctor's note for medical exemptions. It's crucial to understand the significant health risks to your child and others, the legal requirements in your state, and potential conflicts with other parents, as unvaccinated children can be excluded from activities during outbreaks, notes Immunize.org and the CDC. 

What is Illinois doing about vaccines?

The legislation expands and codifies Governor Pritzker's Executive Order 2025-04, which empowers the Illinois Department of Public Health to offer transparent, science-based vaccine guidelines through its expert Immunization Advisory Committee (IAC), while also expanding vaccine access.

Can a pediatrician call CPS for not vaccinating?

Pediatric providers (or other mandatory reporters) also may not report vaccine refusal to CPS because they do not—or do not think CPS will—consider it neglect. Similarly, CPS may not be investigating the reports.

Why are parents refusing vaccines?

Parents oppose vaccines due to safety concerns (side effects, ingredients, discredited autism links), distrust in health authorities/pharmaceuticals, belief in natural immunity from childhood diseases, misinformation spread online, religious/philosophical objections (e.g., \"natural\" health), and sometimes negative experiences with the medical system, with political views also playing a role, especially regarding newer vaccines like COVID-19.
 

Can vaccines be mandated by law?

All 50 states are states where vaccines are mandatory. In 1905, a Supreme Court case set the legal precedent for states to write their own vaccination laws and make vaccines mandatory.

What is a religious exemption for vaccination?

A religious exemption is a formal request submitted by someone subject to a vaccination requirement to be excused from that requirement.

Can my child be around unvaccinated children?

Unvaccinated children can pass diseases on to babies who are too young to be fully immunized. Unvaccinated children pose a threat to children and adults who can't be immunized for medical reasons.

Which vaccines are most important for kids?

Childhood Immunizations are Important

• Hepatitis B.
• Rotavirus.
• Diphtheria.
• Tetanus.
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib)
• Pneumococcal.
• Polio.

Can kids be exempt from vaccines?

All states allow exemptions from school immunization requirements for children who are unable to receive vaccines for medical reasons. State laws vary regarding non-medical exemptions, for religious or personal reasons. Personal exemptions are also referred to as "philosophical exemptions" by some states.

What grades require school physicals in Illinois?

HEALTH EXAMINATIONS AND IMMUNIZATIONS

• Entering Pre-K, Kindergarten or first grade (if the child did not attend Kindergarten);
• Entering the sixth, ninth and twelfth grades; and.
• Enrolling in an Illinois school, regardless of the student's grade, when transferring into Illinois from out-of-state or out-of-country.

Can my kid go to school if I don't vaccinate?

Yes, unvaccinated kids can often go to school, but it depends heavily on state laws, as all U.S. states have immunization requirements for school entry, with varying allowances for medical, religious, or personal belief exemptions. While most states permit exemptions, unvaccinated children may be excluded from school during disease outbreaks, and states like Mississippi and West Virginia don't allow non-medical waivers, meaning only medical exemptions are accepted. 

Can parents get in trouble for not vaccinating their kids?

It's not strictly illegal to not vaccinate your child in all situations, but all US states mandate vaccines for school entry, with varying exemptions (medical, religious, or philosophical) that are becoming stricter. Refusing vaccination can bar your child from public schools and daycare, and in outbreaks, unvaccinated children may be excluded; while rarely criminal, it can lead to accusations of medical neglect, potentially involving Children's Protective Services, and you could face legal liability if your unvaccinated child harms others, according to the NIH and law firms https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23061588/ and. 

What vaccines are no longer recommended for children?

Recently, the U.S. federal vaccine schedule was changed to no longer universally recommend vaccines for rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and meningococcal disease, shifting them to "shared clinical decision-making" or specific high-risk groups, meaning parents must consult a doctor, rather than being standard for all children. Additionally, the HPV vaccine now only requires one dose, not two or three. These updates move away from routine, universal recommendations for these diseases, though vaccines for measles, polio, chickenpox, etc., remain standard.
 

What happens if we stop vaccinating children?

Without vaccines, your child is at risk for getting seriously ill and suffering pain, disability, and even death from diseases like measles and whooping cough.

What to do if I don't want to vaccinate my child?

In certain states, parents have to do one or more of these things to get a personal exemption:

1. Talk to their doctor or read about the benefits of vaccines and the risks of not vaccinating their children.
2. Get a signature from a local health department official.

What not to say to CPS?

When speaking with Child Protective Services (CPS), avoid lying, being hostile, or refusing all cooperation; instead, stay calm, be honest but cautious, don't criticize the worker, don't badmouth the other parent, and be wary of admitting guilt or downplaying substance use, focusing instead on what's best for your child while understanding your rights to not answer all questions without a lawyer present, especially regarding unrelated matters or allowing entry without a court order. 

Can doctors refuse to treat unvaccinated children?

In general, no, a physician should not refuse a patient simply because the individual is not vaccinated or declines to be vaccinated.

What is the vaccine law in Illinois?

Illinois state law requires certain immunizations for children and adults enrolled in child care, school, or college. State law also mandates immunizations for adults in specific fields of work ( e.g., health care).

How to get a vaccine exemption in Illinois?

A parent or guardian of a student may object to immunizations on religious grounds. If a religious objection is made to receive an exemption to vaccination, the Illinois Religious Exemption Form must be: completed and signed by the parent or guardian.

Is there such a thing as being over vaccinated?

The development of purified vaccines for the control of common infectious diseases may lead to a sense of false security and a tendency to over-immunize. Repeated antigenic challenge may cause hypersensitivity reactions which could harm the individual.