School Nurses Urge Families to Make Vaccinations a Priority

Greenfield and Whitnall schools will resume classes in a few short weeks, which means the timeline for students to get vaccinated before the first day of school is getting shorter and shorter.

The Wisconsin Association of School Nurses, representing more than 250 school nurses statewide, is urging families and parents to have their children vaccinated during August, National Immunization Awareness Month.

“Many parents find themselves in full ‘back-to-school’ mode at this time of year and are already starting to gather all the necessary back-to-school-supplies. However, they should also include on those lists the need for current and updated vaccinations for their children,” said Ann Riojas, president of the Wisconsin Association of Nurses.

WASN recommends the following back-to-school vaccination tips to help Wisconsinparents and legal guardians:

• Check the Wisconsin Immunization Registry to view your child’s immunization record.
• Call your family physician and/or pediatrician to make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date and if not, make an appointment before school starts. If your child is getting a sports physical, schedule vaccinations at the same time for convenience.
• If your health insurance does not cover your child’s immunization, the Greenfield Health Department offers an immunization clinic for $10 per visit .
• Talk with your local school, as many now offer immunization opportunities on-site during school registration.
• Additional facts about Wisconsin immunization can be found here. Vaccination facts and schedules are also provided through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control here.

Wisconsin law requires K5 through fifth graders be immunized within 30 days after school starts or they can be excluded from school for five days or the parent fined. Wisconsin requires children be vaccinated against chicken pox, measles/mumps/rubella, hepatitis B, polio and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus. Waivers are available for personal convictions, religious beliefs and medical situations.

“Parents can also explore having their children vaccinated for meningitis, seasonal flu and other diseases,” Riojas said. “Vaccinations have saved many lives over the years and doing so for your child will help keep them and their community safe.”

Check back with Greenfield Patch later this week for a complete back-to-school guide including school lists, schedules and all sorts of other important information.