Immunization Policy

Camp Interlaken JCC’s Immunization Policy

Background: Parents send their children to camp and assume that they will enjoy themselves, have positive social interactions, learn from the Jewish environment and be safe and healthy. Safety and public health are priorities for Camp Interlaken. Each year, the American Academy of Pediatrics publishes a “Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule.” Pediatricians across North America consider this the standard of care. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has established vaccine standards for both children and adults. The vaccination of all members of a community creates conditions that protect everyone in it, but especially young children, babies, the elderly, pregnant women, and those who cannot be immunized from harmful and life-threatening diseases.

Given the overriding Jewish value of Pikuach Nefesh (saving a life) and with a focus on maintaining health and protecting the camp community as a whole, Camp Interlaken requires that all campers and staff attending camp be immunized as outlined below.

While parents may choose to defer the vaccination of their children, for Camp Interlaken this is not an issue of individual rights and choice, but an issue of public health and policy. The routine vaccination of all campers and staff is an important public health matter especially in the confined environment of a residential summer camp with round-the-clock communal living where illnesses spread much more easily.

Policy: ALL THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING CAMP INTERLAKEN’S PROGRAM ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AGE APPROPRIATE VACCINES as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), with the exceptions noted.

• DTaP, DT, Td, or Tdap (Diphtheria,Tetanus and Pertussis)
• Tdap vaccine is now required for children over age 11, booster every 10 years
• IPV (Poliovirus)
• HIB (Haemophilus influenza type b bacteria)
• PCV 13 (Pneumococcal) vaccine
• Hepatitis B
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) or serologic evidence of immunity. Adults born before 1957 are assumed to be immune to measles
• Varicella vaccine (Varivax – for Chicken Pox), or serologic or historical evidence of immunity
• Menactra (Meningococcal disease / Meningitis) – required for those age 11 and older

Camp Interlaken strongly recommends that all participants obtain the following vaccines per the AAP/CDC schedule of vaccinations:

Camp Interlaken makes the following exceptions:
Gardasil or Cervarix (HPV vaccine): though recommended by the AAP and CDC, it is a relatively new vaccine for both young women and young men, it is not required by the state of Wisconsin.

Eligibility: Starting with the summer of 2016 and beyond, this policy will be strictly enforced for all new Camp Families.

Policy Exceptions: We recognize that individuals, who have had a documented allergy or severe adverse reaction to a particular vaccine, will not be able to receive further doses of that individual vaccine. In addition, individuals with medical conditions such as congenital immunodeficiency or HIV, malignancies receiving chemotherapy, transplant patients, and persons receiving immunosuppressive drugs and chronic steroids, will not be able to receive certain vaccines. In these instances, a physician documenting the problem and exempting the child from further doses of that specific vaccine must be furnished to Camp Interlaken. In addition, if an individual or their family believes that a specific situation poses extenuating circumstances, and furnishes a letter from a medical doctor (MD) substantiating this contention, the Medical Director will review such situations on a case by case basis.

With these exceptions, a camper who attends camp without immunizations may be dismissed from Camp in the event of an outbreak of a disease that the camper is not immunized. Dismissal may be for all or part of the remaining season. In this case, a refund of tuition will not be given. Dismissal will be requested for an outbreak in the camper’s home area, within Vilas County, or in Milwaukee, our camp’s home location. This both protects the camper who isn’t immunized and any other participant in Camp’s program who may be at risk.

This policy will be enforced in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. In no way should this policy be interpreted to violate the laws of the State of Wisconsin or regulations affecting licensed Residential Child Camps within the state.