BHA Covid-19 Immunization Policy for Masa Hebrew School
BHA will no longer require proof of Covid-19 vaccine to register for Masa as of 10/24/2022, but please provide proof of vaccination if it was received. We continue to ask that you keep your child home if they have any symptoms of illness, or if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus.
BHA Childhood Immunization Policy for Masa Hebrew School & Preschool
Students in BHA Masa and Preschool MUST have up-to-date immunizations, as evidenced by acceptable immunization records. No exceptions other than medical exemptions, which must be completed by a licensed health practitioner using the NYS-mandated form.
BHA must maintain immunization records, including medical exemptions if any, for all students enrolled in Masa and in the Preschool. Immunization records must include the vaccines received and the dates of administration and must be signed by a health practitioner licensed in New York State.
- A cumulative school health record is also an acceptable immunization record.
- To best protect our students’ personal health information, immunization records should be uploaded by parents online within the appropriate online forms.
- In the event parents provide a hard copy of immunization records, they will be scanned and the hard copy will either be shredded or returned to the parents if requested.
- Parents should NOT email vaccinations forms to staff.
- Parents should NOT request medical professionals fax vaccinations forms to BHA. BHA does not have a fax number, vaccination forms should be submitted by parents only.
- Parents should be assured that digital immunization forms will be stored in password protected digital files accessible only by necessary staff.
The NYS Department of Health, which was consulted before the drafting of this policy, advises that all immunization records, and evidence of medical exemptions, be retained for 6 years, or 3 years after the individual attains the age of 18, whichever is longer.
We as an organization are in agreement that our Jewish values promote the goal of saving lives and preventing illness, and that as much as we want to be welcoming to everyone, we need to prioritize the safety of people who are medically unable to receive vaccinations.
The NYS regulations concerning certificates of immunization are included below for reference:
Section 66-1.6 – Certificate of Immunization
66-1.6 The certificate of immunization required in section 66-1.3(a) of this Subpart shall be prepared and signed by a health practitioner licensed in New York State and shall specify the products administered and the dates of administration. It may also show physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant-verified history of varicella disease and/or positive serologic tests for measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and/or Hepatitis B and/or laboratory confirmation of disease for measles, mumps, rubella and/or varicella. Certificates of immunization issued prior to September 1, 2019 may also show positive serologic tests for all 3 serotypes of poliomyelitis contained in the polio vaccines. A record issued by NYSIIS, the CIR, an official immunization registry from another state, an electronic health record, and/or an official record from a foreign nation may be accepted as a certificate of immunization without a health practitioner’s signature.
66-1.5 Immunization records from previous school. An immunization record forwarded from the child's previous school, which contains all of the information specified in subdivision (a) of section 66-1.3 of this Subpart may be accepted by the principal or person in charge of the school in lieu of a certificate of immunization.
