A Safer “Catch Up” Schedule

/ Education, Parental Support / Fact Sheets, School Vaccine Requirements, Vaccine Safety

Forced to consider a catch up schedule?

Are you being told that your child needs a whole series of shots to get caught up for school?

Get the first in the series and then have titers drawn instead.

What are titers for vaccines?

A titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood. A titer may be used to prove immunity to disease. A blood sample is taken and tested. If the test is positive (above a particular known value) the individual has immunity.

Law

Maine state law allows child to present “laboratory evidence demonstrating immunity.”

Timing

Wait at least one month before having titers drawn. This gives the body time to build up sufficient antibodies.

Efficacy

Chances of positive antibodies after the first dose are fairly high. Depending on the disease and age, first dose efficacy ranges from 73-97%.

Polio

IPV may be the exception because efficacy on first dose is low and no antibody test for Polio Type 2 is available.

Risk

All doses involve risk. Read the
inserts and work with an alternative health clinician to detox after each dose.

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