Policy for Unimmunized or Underimmunized Patients

May 19, 2024

Policy for Unimmunized or Underimmunized Patients

We are very concerned about the increasing spread of Whooping Cough and Measles around the world and in the United States. For this reason, we have decided to strengthen our infection control policy. For certain patients that we consider high risk, the following restrictions will apply starting the week of May 27, 2024:

1) Regardless of the type of visit, all high risk patients (and their caregiver) will not be allowed to go into the waiting room. Instead, they will need to wait in their car until called in.

When you arrive at our parking lot, please call us to let us know that you have arrived. When the child is ready to be seen, you will receive a call on your cell phone. At that time, bring the child to the front door and they will be brought directly to the exam room.

2) All high risk patients 5 years and older will be required to wear a mask in the office.

In order to avoid the above restrictions, the following criteria must be met:

For Pertussis (Whooping Cough) prevention

–Two doses of a pertussis containing vaccine must be received by 9 months of age.

–Four doses of a pertussis containing vaccine must be received by 2 years of age.

For Measles prevention

–One dose of a measles containing vaccine must be received by 2 years of age.

–Two doses of a measles containing vaccine must be received by 6 years of age.

For those patients that do not meet the above criteria, but the parents (or caregiver) have chosen to proceed with vaccination, a catch-up schedule will be determined. The above restrictions will be lifted once the catch-up schedule has been completed.