Catawba County News
Time for Back-to-School Shots
Published: July 28, 2022
CHILD WELL-VISITS, SCHOOL VACCINATIONS NEEDED FOR SOME STUDENTS
HICKORY – It’s now late-July and children will be headed back to classrooms across Catawba County in just a few short weeks. One way to ensure that they are healthy and ready to return is through routine vaccinations and health assessments. North Carolina state law requires vaccinations for children and teens entering Kindergarten, 7th and 12th grade. Rising kindergartners and children entering public school in North Carolina for the first time should also have a health assessment completed by their child’s physician.
“As our community’s families prepare to head back to school in August, it is important for children to be caught up on routine vaccinations, as this provides protection against many childhood illnesses such as measles, mumps, polio, whooping cough, meningitis and more,” said Catawba County School Health Supervisor Marianne Vogel. “These vaccinations help get everyone off to a healthy start.”
For families who do not already have a primary care provider, school nurses can help them find a physician.
“These well-child visits are important not only for vaccinations, but also to ensure that all of our community’s children are growing and developing into healthy adults,” said Vogel.
Public Health also offers routine vaccinations for children and teens, including those required for school.
“The best way to protect children from preventable diseases is through vaccination. Over the past few years, cases of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough have been on the rise, making childhood immunizations even more important,” said Sarah Rhodes, Clinical Nursing Supervisor with Catawba County Public Health. “By ensuring that children are vaccinated, we can help prevent rapid spread of diseases within our community. This both helps protect our community’s children and gets them started in school with their best foot forward.”
More information on routine childhood and COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens: Call Catawba County Public Health’s Immunizations Clinic at 828-695-5881.