October 4, 2000

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The State Board of Health will hold its third and final hearing Thursday (Oct. 5) in Springfield on whether chickenpox should become the ninth childhood disease for which vaccination is necessary before a child can enter an Illinois public or private school.

The hearing is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room D-1 in the Stratton Office Building, which is located just west of the state Capitol Building. Board Chairman Dr. James L. McGee will chair the hearing. Either written or oral testimony will be accepted and entered into the record.

As required by state law, the board is holding the hearings as the result of a recommendation in April by the state's Immunization Advisory Committee that chickenpox vaccine be added to the list of required school immunizations.

In addition to testimony on the chickenpox vaccine, the board will also hear from the public on a proposal to expand the allowable medical exemptions for school immunizations to include children who have had an adverse reaction to a shot and their siblings.

Once the hearings have been completed, the 15-member board will review the public testimony and submit a recommendation to Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, for consideration. The board is scheduled to address the issue at a special meeting in Springfield on Oct. 19 in the Stratton Office Building.

Current immunization requirements for children entering the state's elementary and secondary schools include vaccination proof against diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis, polio, rubella and tetanus.

The initial hearing was held Aug. 22 in Carterville at John A. Logan College and the second hearing was in Chicago on Sept. 14 at the James R. Thompson Center.