Logan County Department of Public Health: Time for Back to School Immunizations

[July 11, 2016]  LINCOLN - In addition to pencils, paper and other classroom essentials, vaccinations should be included on every back-to-school checklist. The Logan County Department of Public Health (LCDPH) is reminding parents that Illinois law requires students in Illinois schools to be immunized against certain vaccine-preventable diseases.

According to experts at the CDC, immunizations are a valuable public health resource, are cost-effective and help fight preventable disease throughout the community. Every child entering an Illinois school or attending a child care facility is mandated to comply with the Illinois State Immunization requirements. Required immunizations include diphtheria-tetanus-whooping cough, polio, measles-mumps-rubella, hepatitis B, haemophilus influenza type B, varicella, pneumococcal and meningococcal. Human papilloma virus vaccine is recommended for adolescents but is not required by law.

Each year, hundreds of parents and children visit the LCDPH vaccination clinic to meet school-entry vaccination requirements. The back-to-school rush is the department’s largest annual immunization effort. For public convenience and to keep waiting time to a minimum, the LCDPH encourages families to come in as soon as possible to beat the rush for back to school vaccines.

The Logan County Department of Public Health currently operates Monday-Thursday from 7:30-4:00 and all major insurance cards are accepted. Please call the department with any questions at 217-735-2317.

[Don Cavi, MS, LEHP, Public Health Administrator, Logan County Department of Public Health]