North Carolina's lawmakers have made several changes to the rules regarding vaccination of school-aged children, including college students. One booster dose of Tdap (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) vaccine is now required for the following age groups:

• All individuals attending public school who are entering the 6th grade on or after August 1, 2008, if five years or more have passed since the last dose of tetanus/diphtheria toxoid.
• All individuals NOT attending public schools (i.e., private, home-school, non-traditional schools) who are 12 years of age on or after August 1, 2008, if five years or more have passed since the last dose of tetanus/diptheria toxoid.
• Individuals enrolling in college or university for the first time on or after July 1, 2008, if a tetanus/diphtheria toxoid or tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis vaccine has not been administered within the past 10 years.

This rule change also impacts the mumps vaccination. Individuals will now be required to receive a second dose of mumps vaccine before enrolling in school, college or university for the first time on or after July 1, 2008. Most children received 2 doses of measles/mumps/rubella prior to entering kindergarten. This new ruling regarding the mumps will only affect those who chose to receive immunizations individually and therefore only received one dose of mumps.