Back to School-Are your children up to date with their immunizations?

Protect your school-aged children against vaccine preventable diseases by getting them and your entire family immunized. This will help them stay healthy and will meet school requirements, too!

Immunizations are just one of the many things to think about when a new school year rolls around, especially if your child is entering kindergarten, 7th grade or changing school districts. Immunizations are one of the best protections you can provide for your kids, your family, and your community. In January 2015, school requirements now require nonmedical immunization waivers, for those kids who are not fully immunized. A parent or guardian who wishes to not receive any or all the school-required immunizations for their child, must meet with staff from a local health department to discuss the benefits of vaccines and potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases. This rule does not take away the right to obtain a nonmedical waiver. Immunization waivers for medical reasons must be obtained from a physician.

School-aged children need to be protected against Tetanus, Pertussis (whooping cough), Diphtheria, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis B, Meningococcal and Chickenpox (Varicella). The number of doses needed varies by age.

Immunization requirements for school-aged children can be found here. Childcare and preschool immunization requirements can be found here. This year it is more important than ever that kids are protected from vaccine preventable diseases. With the current COVID pandemic just as with any communicable disease, when a child is not protected with immunizations, they are at higher risk of getting sick. When there is an outbreak of a vaccine preventable disease in a school, the children who are not protected with the appropriate vaccine can and most likely will be excluded from school until the outbreak or quarantine period is over. Students will not be excluded if they have not received a COVID vaccination under the current recommendations. However, we still highly encourage COVID-19 vaccination for those over the age of 12. Vaccination will keep your kids in school!

Staying at home as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in keeping your children safe; however, many children missed getting their routine childhood immunizations.

As the new school year approaches, it is very important to talk with your physician or local health department to make sure they are fully immunized and ready for school! The Central Michigan District Health Department provides immunizations by appointment (we offer immunizations to those with and without medical/insurance coverage). A small fee may apply for immunizations received; however, no child is turned away for immunizations based on an inability to pay. For more information, to set up an appointment for immunizations, or to discuss nonmedical waivers, please call: Clare County: 989-539-6731, option 2.

The Central Michigan District Health Department serves the counties of Arenac, Clare, Gladwin, Isabella, Osceola, and Roscommon. Visit our website at www.cmdhd.org, LIKE Central Michigan District Health Department on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @CMiDHD.