NEWS
Local Health Officers Urge Bay Area Families To Prioritize Immunizations In Back-to-School Preparations
As children and families across the Bay Area prepare for the upcoming school year, Bay Area health officials urge everyone to make sure your back-to-school checklist starts with getting your child vaccinated.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA — As children and families across the Bay Area prepare for the upcoming school year, Bay Area health officials urge everyone to make sure your back-to-school checklist starts with getting your child vaccinated. Vaccines are safe, effective, and a routine part of preventative healthcare. They protect against serious diseases such as measles, pertussis (also known as whooping cough), and polio.
“Vaccines keep our children healthy so they can learn and thrive at school," said San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip. “Diseases such as measles, whooping cough, and polio are preventable thanks to vaccines that have been proven to be safe and effective. We encourage everyone to plan for the upcoming school year now to keep our communities strong."
Children in California are required to receive certain immunizations to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools, childcare centers, family day care homes, nursery schools, day nurseries, and developmental centers (pre-kindergarten facilities). Families are encouraged to:
- Check their child’s vaccination records with their health care provider or through California’s Digital Vaccine Record portal.
- Schedule well-child visits early and before the school year begins to avoid last-minute delays.
- Access low- or no-cost vaccinations through local public health clinics if uninsured or underinsured.
Resources
- San Francisco Department of Public Health: https://www.sf.gov/get-vaccines
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Healthy Children. Immunizations: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/default.aspx
- CDPH Immunization Branch. Resources for Parents / Guardians: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/School/resources-parents.aspx
- My Digital Vaccine Record: https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/
- Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): https://vaers.hhs.gov/
Health Officers endorsing these recommendations are from the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma, and the City of Berkeley.