Vaccine Tracking 

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​Each state has their own requirements for vaccine tracking and documentation for schools and child care facilities.

In order to keep vaccine preventable diseases at bay, the Centers for Disease Control has created a recommendation for vaccine tracking and documentation for children in school or care. Each state takes those recommendations and creates their own requirements for children to be in care which then dictates the documentation needed. The only way for these requirements to be shown is to provide vaccine tracking documentation which comes in many forms.

For example, in the state of Washington:

According to WAC 170-295-7020 and the Washington State Child Care Licensing Guidebook, childcare centers must:

• Track each child’s immunization status.
  • This includes:
    • Seeing that each child has a completed certificate of immunization status form on file prior to their first day of care.
    • Developing a system to audit and update as scheduled, the information on the certificate.
    • Meeting any requirement of the Department of Health WAC 246-100-166.
    • Having available on the premises the certificate of immunization status forms for review by the health specialist, licensor, the Department of Health, and nurse consultant.
• The certificate of immunization status forms for enrolled children must be accessible and maintained on the premises in a confidential manner.
• If a parent or guardian chooses not to immunize a child, they must sign the exempt portion of the certificate of immunization status form.

It is important to know that only the state Certificate of Immunization form (CIS form) meets licensing requirements for immunization records in the state of Washington. If a parent brings in a different form, you must ask them to copy the information onto the CIS form.  

Your state may require different tracking, documentation, and required vaccines. Contact your licensor, state agency, or visit the links below for more information:​

• State School an Childcare Vaccination Laws by the Centers for Disease Control
• State Vaccination Requirements by the Centers for Disease Control​
• State Laws by the Immunization Action Coalition 

Optional Resources Items to Save for Reference

• Certificate of Immunization (CIS) form from the Washington Department of Health ​
• Immunizations, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
• Public Health Resources: State, Tribal, Local & Territorial Public Health Professionals Gateway
• CDC's Infectious Disease National Centers

Course Navigation Menu

1. Course Agenda
2. Why is Vaccination Important?
3. Discussion: Vaccine Importance (1/5)
4. Vaccine Myths
5. Vaccine Myths (2/5)

6. Vaccine Preventable Diseases
7. Vaccine Tracking
8. Vaccine Tracking (3/5)
9. Unvaccinated Children
10. Immunization Status (4/5)

11. Outbreak Reporting
12. Seasonal Flu Vaccine
13. End of Course Quiz (5/5)
14. Course Evaluation Form​ 
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