Vaccinations should be on every parent’s back-to-school list. Washington State Department of Health does require up to date vaccination information or a Certificate of Exemption for children to be allowed to start school on time.
According to the Clark County Public Health Department, “They are important to a child’s well being and help eliminate spreading preventable diseases.”
While most students in Washington do receive the required vaccinations to attend school, in the 2017/18 school year 4.9% did not get the vaccines due to personal or medical reasons. In Clark County, the exemption rate was 7.5% with 5.9% of those being personal reasons. It should be noted that most diseases require high vaccination rates to be effective in protecting the mass majority.
Immunization information is required for your child to attend public school. Without the required immunizations or Certificate of Exemption your child may be excused from class until the proper documentation is received. To find out what immunizations your child may need before attending school visit the Washington State Department of Health online.
Washington State does allows for a parent to exempt their child due to medical or personal reasons, but are required to submit a Certificate of Exemption, which can be found here through the Washington State Department of Health. “Exempted children/students may be excluded from school or child care settings and activities during an outbreak of the disease that they have not been fully vaccinated against.”
“Vaccinating children according to the recommended immunization schedule is one of the most important things a parent can do to protect their child’s health,” says Brianna Dannen, a public health nurse. “Diseases can quickly spread among groups of children who aren’t vaccinated.”
All school required vaccines are free of charge until the age of 19. Some providers may charge an administration fee, but those who can’t afford it can ask for the fee to be waived. For those who don’t have a regular health care provider, the following clinics provide free or low-cost back-to-school immunizations:
Patient Direct Care
Call in advance to ensure availability
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday
209 E. Main St., Suite 121, Battle Ground
360-999-5138
Free Clinic of Southwest Washington
Walk-in, uninsured children only
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, first and third Wednesdays of the month
4100 Plomondon St.
360-313-1390
Go Ready! Back-to-school Readiness Festival
10:00 AM to 1:30 PM Wednesday, Aug. 22
Hudson’s Bay High School, 1601 E McLoughlin Blvd.
360-342-8060
Sea Mar Vancouver Salmon Creek Medical Clinic
Walk-in
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Mondays in August and September
14508 NE 20th Ave., Suite 102
360-852-9070
Camas4Kids Fair
Adolescents only
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Saturday, Sept. 22
Doc Harris Stadium, 1125 NE 22nd Ave., Camas
360-838-2440
So remember parents, add vaccinations to your back-to-school list this year and stay ahead of the sickness game.
