August is National Immunization Awareness Month
Each year, August is designated as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This important awareness month began in order to help educate communities on the importance of vaccinations for individuals of all ages. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that there are currently vaccinations for infants, children and teens to prevent 16 different types of diseases, including measles, chickenpox and meningitis. According to the CDC, staying up to date on immunizations is one of the best ways to protect against these potentially life-threatening diseases.
With the school year right around the corner, NIAM also serves as a reminder for parents to ensure their school-aged children have up to date immunization records. In Texas, children are required to be fully immunized before the first day of school. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) sets forth a list of required vaccinations in advance of each school year in accordance with state laws. The current immunization requirements for school entry include:
• Before attending the first day of school, kindergarten through twelfth grade students need to have had: three to four poliomyelitis (polio) vaccines, two varicella (chickenpox) vaccines, three hepatitis B vaccines, and four to five Tdap vaccines (a combination of the tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccines).
• Kindergarten through seventh grade students need to have had: two hepatitis A vaccines and two MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccines.
• Seventh through twelfth grade students need to have had one booster shot of the Tdap vaccine only if it has been five years since their last dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine.
• Eighth through twelfth grade students need to have had a booster dose of Tdap only if has been 10 years since their last dose of tetanus-containing vaccine.
• Seventh through twelfth grade students need to have one dose of the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate (meningitis) vaccine on or after a child’s 11th birthday.
Generally, immunizations are administered by a child’s physician. In Nueces County, the local public health authority has resources available for parents needing assistance in fulfilling immunization requirements for their children. The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District’s Immunizations Clinic offers routine vaccinations for eligible children ages 0-18 through its Health District Immunization Program. For more information regarding the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District’s Immunizations Clinic, located at 1702 Horne Street, please call 361-826-7238. Additionally, the DSHS regional office in our area can also help connect parents with information about immunization requirements and local support services. To contact the local DSHS office in our area, located at 5155 Flynn Parkway, please call 361-888-7837.
To learn more about NIAM as well as to find general information and statistics regarding immunizations, please visit the CDC. More information about state-required immunizations is available at the DSHS. The DSHS website also contains information for adult vaccinations as well as for those parents seeking to opt out of immunizations. For more information from the local health department visit the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District.
If you have any questions regarding the Texas Legislature or any of the information included in this week’s article, please don’t hesitate to contact either my Capitol or District office. My offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part) County. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
