Bay Area counties unite to remind families that up-to-date immunizations are key to safe and healthy learning environments as school start approaches
Bar Area, California – As families in the Bay Area get ready for a new school year by buying school supplies, public health officials are reminding everyone that vaccines should be at the top of their back-to-school lists.
Health officials from twelve counties and the city of Berkeley have teamed up to get parents and guardians to make sure their kids are up to date on their routine vaccines. These include protection against serious but avoidable infections like measles, whooping cough (pertussis), and polio, which can lead to major problems if not treated right once.
“We want to maintain our high levels of vaccination coverage,” said Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana, San Mateo County Health Officer. “Routine childhood vaccines not only protect children from serious illnesses. They also help every child grow up healthy, safe and ready to learn.”
California law says that students must get certain vaccines before they can go to public or private schools, daycare centers, or pre-kindergarten programs. Health officials advise families to verify their kids’ immunization status now, well before school starts, to prevent having to make last-minute appointments and having to wait to get into school.
Parents can check their child’s vaccination records with their child’s healthcare practitioner or by going to California’s Digital Vaccine Record portal. For families who may be uninsured or underinsured, local health departments offer access to free or low-cost vaccinations.
Officials additionally encourage parents to make “well-child” visits, during which doctors can check on the child’s overall growth and give any necessary vaccines. Families can make sure that youngsters are completely safe before going back to school by acting quickly.
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Families can get support with the process from a number of sources, such as webpages from the California Department of Public Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and San Mateo County Health. The federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is also available for people who are worried about vaccine safety.
Health officials from Berkeley, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Berkeley have all backed this regional effort to keep immunization rates high. Their message is clear: putting vaccines first now can make a big impact in keeping schools and communities healthy all year long.
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Public health officials want parents to see vaccines as more than just another box to check as the first day of school approaches. They want parents to see them as an important part of getting kids ready to go back to school safely and successfully.
