Hepatitis A Prevention: State Laws

Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for routine hepatitis A immunization vary according to state of residence. The following states have high, intermediate, and low rates of hepatitis A according to the ACIP report "Prevention of Hepatitis A Through Active or Passive Immunity" published October 1, 1999.

States with high rates of hepatitis A: States are considered to have a high rate of hepatitis A if the average reported incidence of hepatitis A was greater than 20 cases per 100,000 population from 1987–1997 (this is at least twice the national average). Children ages 2–18 who live in the following states, or in counties or communities where the average annual hepatitis A rate was greater than or equal to 20 cases per 100,000 population, should be routinely vaccinated against hepatitis A.
State	Avg reported cases of hep A per 100,000 pop, 1987-97	State laws regarding hepatitis A vaccination	Date implemented
AK	48.73	School entry requirement for kindergarten through 12th grade	July 2001
AZ	46.72	Daycare entry (2–5 years old) for Maricopa county	1998
CA	20.26
ID	20.65
NV	20.66	Daycare entry for Clark county	1999
		Las Vegas foodhandlers required to get vaccine for foodhandler permits
NM	39.22
OK	24.61	Daycare entry	1998
		Kindergarten and/or 1st grade law	1998
		Middle school/junior high law	1998
		Tax credit for food service establishments to vaccinate employees	2000
OR	39.18
SD	24.14
UT	33.32
WA	29.28	Routine vaccination of 2–18 year olds in 13 endemic counties	2000

States with intermediate rates of hepatitis A: States are considered to have an intermediate level of hepatitis A if the average reported incidence of hepatitis A was greater than or equal to 10 cases per 100,000 but less than 20 per 100,000 population from 1987–1997. Children who live in the following states, or in counties or communities where the average rates of hepatitis A are greater than the national average but lower than twice the national average should be considered for routine vaccination against hepatitis A.
State	Avg reported cases of hep A per 100,000 pop, 1987-97	State laws regarding hepatitis A vaccination	Date implemented
AR	14.46
CO	15.97
MO	18.59	St. Louis: Mandatory hep A vaccination for foodhandlers, restaurant workers, and healthcare employees	June/July 2000
MT	11.52
TX	16.38	Kindergarten and/or 1st grade law, 32 targeted counties	1999
WY	11.00

States with low rates of hepatitis A: States are considered to have a low level of hepatitis A if the average reported incidence of hepatitis A was less than 10 cases per 100,000 from 1987–1997. Children who live in the following states, or in counties or communities where the average rates of hepatitis A are less than the national average do not need to be considered for routine vaccination against hepatitis A.
State	Avg reported cases of hep A per 100,000 pop, 1987-97	State laws regarding hepatitis A vaccination	Date implemented
AL	2.27
CT	4.63
DE	6.43
DC	3.85
FL	5.56
GA	4.41
HI	9.04
IL	8.17
IN	6.37
IA	5.82
KS	9.46
KY	3.94
LA	4.62
ME	2.11
MD	7.76
MA	4.36
MI	4.78
MN	7.15
MS	3.37
NE	8.93
NH	2.26
NJ	4.28
NY	5.29
NC	3.65
ND	8.00
OH	5.42
PA	5.48
RI	7.42
SC	1.42
TN	8.20
VT	2.70
VA	3.94
WV	1.21
WI	7.64

These tables were compiled by the Immunization Action Coalition. If you have any updated information concerning these tables, please call (651) 647-9009.