The Approaching School Year Mean It's Immunization Time
TURTLE LAKE, N. D. — With the new school year about a month away, families are planning trips to the mall or into town for school clothes and supplies. And it might also be time for a quick visit to the doctor, so kids can get up-to-date on their immunizations.
At Northland Community Health Center in Turtle Lake, Interim CEO Janine Johannes says we don't hear much about such contagious diseases as polio or measles or mumps, because immunizations work. And without them, she warns, these illnesses would make a comeback.
"They do find that, when there's pockets in the country where parents do not have their children immunized, the disease actually returns. And they're pretty nasty diseases. It's just that our generation hasn't seen those diseases, you know, most everyone has been vaccinated. And so, when children are held back from vaccines, not only can they get sick, but then they can expose others around them."
For families that are uninsured or under-insured, there is a program in place to help cover the cost of children's immunizations, she adds.
"North Dakota has a 'vaccines for children' program, which we give the vaccine and they can actually receive that for only a fee for the injection. So, they can actually get the vaccine itself for no charge."
Immunization requirements for school vary depending on a child's age, so Johannes suggests parents check with their local clinic or public health department for an immunization schedule and to see which vaccinations their kids are missing.
