Back-to-school vaccinations

Back-to-school season is here. It’s time for parents to gather supplies and back packs. It’s also the ideal time to make sure students are up to date on their vaccines.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, a time to celebrate the importance of immunizations throughout life; and to make sure children are protected with all the vaccines they need before the new school year begins.

Getting vaccinated according to the recommended immunization schedule is one of the most important things a parent can do to protect their child’s health. Diseases can spread quickly among groups of children who aren’t vaccinated. Whether it’s a toddler heading to preschool, a student going back to elementary, middle or high school – or even a college freshman – parents should check their child’s vaccination records.

New York State requires schools to ensure students have the required immunizations to protect the health of all students. Parents must be sure children’s vaccines are up-to- date before school starts to ensure they do not get sent home for not having the shots they need.

Child care facilities, preschool programs, schools and colleges are prone to outbreaks of infectious diseases. Children in these settings can easily spread illnesses to one another due to poor hand washing, not covering their coughs, and other factors such as interacting in crowded environments.

Today’s childhood vaccines protect against serious and po-

tentially life-threatening diseases, including polio, measles, and whooping cough. When children are not vaccinated, they are at increased risk and can spread diseases to others in their classrooms and community – including babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated, and people with weakened immune systems due to can- cer or other health conditions.

Children who are 4 to 6 years old are due for boosters of four vaccines: DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), chickenpox, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and polio.

Older children, like preteens and teens, need Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), MenACWY (meningococcal conjugate vaccine) and HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines when they are 11 to 12. In addition, yearly flu vac- cines are recommended for all children 6 months and older.

Parents can find out more about the recommended immunization schedule at www.cdc.gov/ vaccines/parents/index. html

Immunization clinics are held by appointment at the Madison County Health Department at 138 N. Court Street, Building 5 in Wampsville. To schedule an appointment, visit healthymadisoncounty.org or call 315-366-2848.