• COVID-19 Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Promotions
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • March 22, 2023

Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper

"THE NEWSPAPER YOU CAN TRUST SINCE 1964"

  • News
  • Editorials
  • Education
  • Urban Business
  • Health
  • Religion
  • Upcoming Events
  • Classifieds

Start school year off right by making sure children are on schedule with vaccinations

August 10, 2013

August is National Immunization Awareness Month

It’s back-to-school time, and state health officials are encouraging parents to make immunization appointments for their children before the school year starts.

“A healthy school year begins with children who are up-to-date on their immunizations,” said Dr. Henry Anderson, State Health Officer. “Vaccines are among the safest and most cost-effective ways to prevent disease. They not only protect vaccinated kids, but they also help protect entire communities, including our elderly neighbors and relatives — who can be more vulnerable — by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.”

Families with health insurance will need to schedule these appointments with their health care provider. State-supplied vaccines are available at local health departments through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program for families whose children are not covered by insurance, are on Medical Assistance or are American Indian or Alaska Native. Parents should contact their insurance company if they are uncertain whether their insurance covers vaccinations.

State requirements and recommendations apply to children in kindergarten through high school, and vary by grade. For students in kindergarten through grade 5 (elementary school), required vaccines include:

• DTaP/DT/Td, to prevent diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (also known as whooping cough).
• Polio vaccine.
• Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR).
• Hepatitis B vaccine.
• Varicella vaccine, to prevent chickenpox.

For middle and high school students, an additional dose of varicella vaccine and a dose of Tdap vaccine are required.

Tdap vaccine protects adolescents and adults against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. Wisconsin teen vaccination rates for the varicella and Tdap vaccines are well above the national average, according to a recent National Immunization Survey. Also recommended for adolescents are the HPV vaccine, to help prevent various cancers, and the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, to prevent meningitis.

Vaccinations recommended for college students include Tdap, meningococcal conjugate and HPV vaccines. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine is particularly important for students who live in dormitories.

To help parents and caregivers understand which vaccines are required or recommended for their children, go to http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p4/P44021.pdf

To keep track of vaccines children have already received, visit the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR): http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/immunization/publicaccess.htm. Health care providers can help show families how to access their child’s immunization records through the WIR.

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Popular Interests In This Article: Childhood Immunization, Immunizations, vaccine, Vaccines for Children, Wisconsin Immunization Registry

Read More - Related Articles

  • Why are So Few Young Children in Milwaukee County Getting the Updated COVID Boosters?
  • Milwaukee County Public Health Collaborative Announces New Campaigns Encouraging COVID-19 Booster and Flu Vaccinations in Low-Vaccine Rate Zip Codes
  • 4 Tips to Help Keep Children COVID-Free During the School Year
  • What You Need to Know Now That Kids Can Get Vaccinated
  • Parents Can Now Schedule COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments for Children Under 5

View COVID-19 Resources

Become Our Fan On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook


Follow Us On Twitter
Follow Us On Twitter

Editorials

Lena Taylor
Lakeshia Myers
Rev Jesse Jackson Sr Ashanti Hamilton

Journalists

Mrinal Gokhale
Dylan Deprey
Karen Stokes
Hayley Crandall
Ana Martinez-Ortiz

Topics

Health Care & Wellness
Climate Change
Upcoming Events
Obituaries
Milwaukee NAACP

Politicians

Pres. Barack Obama
Gwen Moore
Tom Barrett
Milele A. Coggs
Spencer Coggs

Classifieds

Job Openings
Bid Requests
Req Proposals
Req Quotations
Apts For Rent

Contact Us

Milwaukee Courier
2003 W. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53206
Ph: 414.449.4860
Fax: 414.906.5383

Copyright © 2023 · Courier Communications | View Privacy Policy | Site built and maintained by Farrell Marketing Technology LLC
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.