Parents, doctors prepare for new immunization requirements in Pa. Ben Allen, General Assignment Reporter | 08.02.17

(Harrisburg) -- Doctors are getting ready for a rush of students, as new state vaccination requirements go into effect for the first time this school year.

Students used to have 8 months from the start of school to get the necessary shots.

Now, they have just 5 days.

It's a much tighter timeline, but it also brings Pennsylvania in line with neighboring states.

The state Health Department started pursuing the 5 day deadline in 2015, and in that time, it has gotten the okay from key state boards.

Dr. Mark Goedecker with WellSpan says they've been trying to alert parents who have been coming in.

"Now, I think there's going to be those kids that haven't been in for several years. They're going to show up at school and the school's going to say nope, nope, you gotta get to the doctor, and I think we'll have a pretty big increase once that starts happening and the schools start to go into session," says Goedecker.

Goedecker applauds the change by the state, pointing to a whooping cough outbreak in the midstate last year that infected at least 84 people.

"Shots weren't getting completed, the immunizations weren't getting done. There was a delay in getting these kids up to date. And then we were seeing things like outbreaks," he adds.

Students will still have some wiggle room - they don't need to get the shots within the first five days of school; they just need to show their doctor has set up a plan for them to get the shots.

Goedecker says WellSpan has been reaching out to its patients, though he expects a rush in the coming weeks because of the new early deadline.