Click below to go to a list of frequently asked questions for Division of Disease Control program areas:
Immunizations - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I go to receive travel immunizations?
Travel immunizations are not available at PDPH District Health Care Centers, and private physicians generally do not stock vaccines required or recommended for foreign travel. Many major hospitals have travel immunization clinics. To find out the one nearest you, call the Division of Disease Control @ 215-685-6740. All travel immunization clinics are by appointment only and charge for immunizations.
Where can I go to have my child immunized?
Children in Philadelphia can be brought to any PDPH District Health Care Center to receive immunizations, without an appointment. Call 215-685-6791 to locate the center nearest to you and its hours of operation. Click here to see the Childhood Immunization Schedule.
What immunizations are required for school entry?
For children entering public, private, and parochial schools in Philadelphia, the immunization requirements are the same. However, the requirements differ depending on the student's grade level; students entering grades K-1 must have received four doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids; four doses of pertussis vaccine; three doses of polio and hepatitis B vaccines; two doses of measles, mumps, and German measles (rubella) vaccines; and two doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. Click here to see all School Entry Requirements.
Do Philadelphia residents who are bitten by dogs or cats need rabies treatment?
Over 2,000 Philadelphia residents are bitten by animals and are reported to the Division of Disease Control each year, and most are bitten by dogs or cats. If the biting dog or cat is an owned animal and the owner's name and address are known, then the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) will place the biting animal under observation. In such cases, animal bite victims do not need preventive treatment for rabies. If the biting animal cannot be identified and, therefore, cannot be placed under observation, then PDPH cannot assume that the biting animal is not rabid. Therefore, whenever the biting dog or cat cannot be placed under observation, PDPH recommends that the bite victim receive preventive treatment for rabies.
Persons bitten by wild animals, e.g., raccoons, bats, skunks, always should receive preventive treatment for rabies, unless the biting animal is captured, tested, and determined to be rabies-free.
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Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I go to get checked for a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
Any Philadelphia resident can go to any PDPH District Health Care Center to receive diagnostic services and treatment for an STD. (Call 215-685-6791 to locate the center that is nearest to you.) There are two city-run clinics that specialize only in STDs. One clinic is located at 1400 Lombard Street. The hours there are 7:45 AM to 7:15 PM Monday and Wednesday, and from 7:45 AM to 4:15 PM Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The other clinic is at 1990 North 20th Street. The hours there are from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. The clinics are closed on weekends and municipal holidays.
Where can I find locations and phone numbers for City Health Care Centers?
Information on all PDPH District Health Care Centers can be found by clicking the PDPH District Health Care Center link above.
Does an adolescent need parental consent to be treated for an STD?
No. In Pennsylvania, teens can be examined, diagnosed, and treated for an STD without parental consent.
top Bioterrorism and Emergency Preparedness - Frequently Asked Questions
What is bioterrorism?
A form of terrorism involving the intentional use (or threatened use) of infectious biological agents, such as bacteria, viruses, or toxins against another person to create fear and/or harm.
What is the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) doing to prepare for a possible bioterrorist event?
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has an established plan of action involving federal, state, and local agencies. The PDPH is also working with local health care providers and hospitals to detect, diagnose, respond to, and control for the threat of all outbreaks of infectious disease, including a bioterrorist event. These surveillance systems quickly detect increases in unusual illnesses in the event that a biological agent is released in the City.
What can I do to prepare myself for the possibility of a bioterrorist attack?
You and your family should take measures to prepare yourself from any disaster. Consistent with long-standing guidelines on disaster preparedness, families should plan to provide necessities for a 3 to 4 day period, in the event that you will have to remain inside your home for your safety. The American Red Cross provides information on what necessities that you should keep on hand:
http://www.redcross-philly.org
The PDPH, along with other government agencies and health institutions, will do everything possible to protect public health. Should a bioterrorist event occur in Philadelphia you would be informed immediately through the news media of measures that could be taken to protect your health. The radio and/or television will provide specific instruction on how to prepare for possible evacuation and of emergency clinics established in the City for treatment.
Should Philadelphia residents stockpile antibiotics to protect themselves against bioterrorism?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against stockpiling of antibiotics. Harmful outcomes could result from the inappropriate use of antibiotics. Using antibiotics that are not medically necessary may lead to developing antibiotic resistant strains of common bacterial diseases. In addition, using antibiotics without a medical prescription may cause serious adverse reactions including diarrhea, rash, allergic reactions, and potentially dangerous interference with other medications. Stockpiling could also result in shortages of national supplies for routine or emergency use.
In the event of a bioterrorist attack, the Federal government has a large stockpile of pharmaceuticals ? including antibiotics ? that would be rapidly available for distribution to the general public.
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