LANCASTER, Pa. -- The first day of school will be here before we know it! Health officials want to make sure one thing is on parents check lists aside from the pencils, books, and backpacks.
The Pennsylvania Health Department is reminding parents to not forget about vaccinating your children before the first day of school. That includes pre-teens, teenagers, and the little kids too.
In Pennsylvania certain vaccines are mandatory for your kids to have for the first day of school. Some of those include-- Measles, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, and Chicken Pox. The required shots may vary by age and grade, but if your student is not up to date on their shots-- they may not be able to attend their first day of school.
State Health Officials say certain shots are essential to the safety of your kids, and that it's an important step to protect yourself an your loved ones against serious disease.
The Center for Disease Control says it's not too late if your kids need to catch up on their immunization schedule. It's as easy as calling your healthcare professional to get them back on track.
If you don't have health insurance, or your policy doesn't cover all of the recommended vaccinations-- officials say not to worry, you may be eligible to still get them through the Vaccines for Children Program (VCP).
For more information on immunizations and where to get them you can visit the PA Health Departments website or the Center for Disease Control.
