State Immunization Laws for Healthcare
Workers and Patients

Immunization Assessment Requirements
For State: PA

** Click on each result to read the abridged text of the state immunization law.

PatientType	Vaccine	Requirement
Hospital Employees	Hepatitis B[302]	No
	Influenza[303]	No
	Pneumococcal[304]	No
Hospital Inpatients	Influenza[305]	No
	Pneumococcal[306]	No
Individual Providers' Patients	Any Immunization[307]	Yes[396]
Ambulatory Care Facilities Patients	Any Immunization[308]	No
Ambulatory Care Facilities Employees	Influenza[309]	No
	Pneumococcal[310]	No
	Hepatitis B[311]	No
Correctional Inmates and Residents	Any Immunization[312]	Yes[397]
Developmentally Disabled Facility Residents	Any Immunization[313]	Yes[398]

[302] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals assess the immunization status of any employees for hepatitis B vaccine, or screen any employees for hepatitis B disease?
[303] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals assess the immunization status of any employees for influenza vaccine, or screen any employees for influenza disease?
[304] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals assess the immunization status of any employees for pneumococcal vaccine, or screen any employees for pneumococcal disease?
[305] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals assess the immunization status of any inpatients for influenza vaccine, or screen any inpatients for influenza disease?
[306] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals assess the immunization status of any inpatients for pneumococcal vaccine, or screen any inpatients for pneumococcal disease?	Top of Page
[307] Does the jurisdiction require that any individual healthcare providers assess the immunization status of any patients for any vaccines, or screen any patients for any vaccine-preventable disease?
[308] Does the jurisdiction require that any ambulatory care facilities assess the immunization status of any patients for any vaccine, or screen any patients for any vaccine-preventable disease?
[309] Does the jurisdiction require that any ambulatory care facilities assess the immunization status of any employees for influenza vaccine, or screen any employees for influenza disease?
[310] Does the jurisdiction require that any ambulatory care facilities assess the immunization status of any employees for pneumococcal vaccine, or screen any employees for pneumococcal disease?	Top of Page
[311] Does the jurisdiction require that any ambulatory care facilities assess the immunization status of any employees for hepatitis B vaccine, or screen any employees for hepatitis B disease?
[312] Does the jurisdiction require that any correctional facilities or juvenile detention centers assess the immunization status of any inmates or juveniles for any vaccines, or screen any inmates or juveniles for any vaccine-preventable disease?
[313] Does the jurisdiction require that any residential facilities for the developmentally disabled or mentally retarded assess the immunization status of any residents for any vaccines, or screen any residents for any vaccine-preventable disease?
[396] For Pennsylvania, see 28 Pa. Code § 27.99(a), relating to “prenatal examination for hepatitis B”. 28 Pa. Code § 27.99(a) provides that a physician who attends, treats, or examines a pregnant woman for conditions relating pregnancy during the period of gestation or delivery, shall inform the woman that the physician intends to take or cause to be taken, unless the woman objects, a sample of her blood at the time of the first examination (including an initial visit when a pregnancy test is positive) or within 15 days thereafter, but no later than the time of delivery, and shall submit such a sample to a clinical laboratory approved by the department to conduct immunologic testing.	Top of Page
[397] For Pennsylvania, see 55 Pa. Code § 3800.141(a) and (c) and 55 Pa. Code § 3800.143(a) and (e), relating to “child residential treatment facilities.” 55 Pa. Code § 3800.141(a) and (c) require that children shall have a written health and safety assessment within 24 hours of admission, which shall include an immunization history. 55 Pa. Code § 3800.143(a) and (e) require that children shall have a health exam within 15 days after admission and annually thereafter, or more frequently under certain circumstances, which shall include screening tests and laboratory tests as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics “Guidelines for Healthy Supervision.” “Child residential treatment facilities” are defined as a premises, or part thereof, operated in a 24-hour living setting provided for one or more children who are not relatives of the facility operator. The definition of “child” includes an individual who is under 21 years of age and who has committed an act of delinquency before reaching the age of 18 and remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. The definitional language of 55 Pa. Code § 3800.143(a) and (e) thus covers juvenile detention facilities.
[398] For Pennsylvania, see 55 Pa. Code § 6400.141(a) and (c), relating to “community homes for individuals with mental retardation,” as well as 55 Pa. Code § 3800.141(a) and (c) and 55 Pa. Code § 3800.143(a) and (e), relating to “child residential treatment facilities.” 55 Pa. Code § 6400.141(a) and (c) require an individual to have a physical exam within 12 hours prior to admission and annually thereafter, which shall include (among other things) screening tests for individuals 17 years of age or younger, as recommended by the Standards of Child Health Care of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and also requires that a child shall have a written health and safety assessment within 24 hours of admission, which shall include an immunization history. 55 Pa. Code § 3800.143(a) and (e) require that a child shall have a health exam within 15 days after admission and annually thereafter, which shall include screening tests and laboratory tests as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics “Guidelines for Healthy Supervision.” “Child residential treatment facilities” are defined as a premises, or part thereof, operated in a 24-hour living setting provided for one or more children who are not relatives of the facility operator. The definition of “child” includes a child who has mental retardation, with a transfer plan to move to an adult setting by 21 years of age.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this database is to provide researchers, policymakers, and state and local public health practitioners with descriptive information concerning state immunization-related law. No part of this legal analysis involves providing legal advice or answering specific questions of law on behalf of any person or organization.