Include Immunizations on Back to School Checklist

The first day of the 2019-20 school year is right around the corner. Children will soon be gathering in classrooms. The City of St. Louis Department of Health is advising parents and guardians that now is time to make sure their children are up to date on all their vaccinations. Public health officials recommend back to school checklists include vaccinations. School vaccinations are as important as new backpacks, lunchboxes, pencils and notebooks.

“Vaccines are the most effective means of protection against preventable diseases and preventing the spread of disease,” said Dr. Fredrick Echols, director of health for the City of St. Louis. “Vaccinations are important to protect individuals but are also important for the protection of our community.”

The Department of Health wants the community to know that Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers are designated Vaccines For Children (VFC) sites. This means uninsured and underinsured children can receive vaccinations at a significantly reduced rate. The VFC program is a federally funded program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

People’s Health Centers’ Delmar location, 5701 Delmar Blvd., offers vaccination services Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (closed from 11:30 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. for lunch)

City of St. Louis Department of Health will be partnering with People’s Health Centers to offer special back-to-school immunization clinics at People’s Delmar location, on Saturday, August 3 and Saturday, August 10 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

“Our health centers want to join the City of St. Louis Department of Health in making sure children are up to date on recommended vaccines and protected from serious diseases,” said  Dwayne Butler, president & CEO of Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers. ” Data shows that vaccines have reduced disease, disability and death from numerous infectious diseases.”

There’s no question about it, certain infectious diseases are preventable and vaccines offer protection from those diseases, So don’t for get to add vaccinations to your back to school checklist.

For additional information Peoples vaccination services visit https://phcenters.org/services/immunizations/ or call (314) 367-7848.

Learn more about the safety and importance of vaccines at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/index.html

Missouri School Immunization Requirements 2019-2020 -  English |  Spanish