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August is National Immunization Awareness Month
MADISON – The Wisconsin Association of School Nurses (WASN), representing nearly 300 members statewide, is reminding parents to check their child’s immunization records and make appointments with their healthcare provider for updating vaccinations, check-ups and sports physicals in August, which is also National Immunization Month.
“We know how busy Wisconsin families are during the summer and now is really a good time to schedule all of the health visits and required vaccinations and physicals so there are no problems once classes start for the 2018/2019 school year,” said Barbara Maley, RN and executive director of the Wisconsin Association of School Nurses.
“A family doctor visit will help ensure your child is healthy and ready for the challenges of a new school year in a few weeks. Checkups and vaccinations are not just for children, adult participation helps keep families healthy. Easily accessible vaccinations remain the best proven method of preventing disease and allow our school nurses statewide to better serve and keep student populations free from communicable illness.”
Wisconsin school immunization law requires vaccinations for chicken pox, measles/mumps/rubella, hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria/pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus. Vaccination waivers are also accepted for religious, personal or medical reasons. Health experts also recommend that children ages 11-12 be immunized against Meningococcal and HPV. Yearly influenza immunizations are recommended for all students. Parents with college-bound students are urged to have them vaccinated against meningitis and its Type B strain, according to Maley. Two years ago, a Type B meningitis outbreak at UW-Madison resulted in more than 21,000 students being immunized.
Call your healthcare provider or the local health department now to receive the vaccines needed to keep your family protected. Parents can check Wisconsin vaccination records for themselves and their children online via the Wisconsin Immunization Registry at https://tinyurl.com/q3jsy45 and school district immunization rates at https://tinyurl.com/y7373dku.
The mission of WASN is to support and advance the practice of professional school nurses in Wisconsin to enhance the health, safety and educational success of students. For more information, please visit www.wischoolnurses.org.
