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August is National Immunization Awareness Month
Friday, August 3rd, 2012 -- 10:40 am
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
The Wisconsin Association of School Nurses is urging parents to plan ahead and have their children vaccinated early before sending them back to school.
Louise Wilson is president of the Association and she says Wisconsin has been especially hard hit this year with whooping cough and measles outbreaks and she says they fully expect a busy time for doctors and nurses administering vaccanations statewide during late August. Wilson says they want people to know they should not wait until the last minute.
This year parents of children in kindergarten, 6th and 12th grades need to pay special attention to immunization requirements. Kindergartners will need additional doses of several vaccines, 6th graders will need Tdap (which protects against tetnus, diphtheria and whooping cough) and 12th graders who have not had chickenpox will need a second dose of varicella.
Consult your family doctor on what vaccinations you child still needs and make an appointment soon. Local school nurses have information on free immunization clinics in your area and some schools even hold their own on-site vaccination programs during school registration.
Wisconsin law requires K5 thru 5th graders to be immunized within 30 days after school starts or they can be excluded from school for up to 10 days or the parent fined. Waivers are available for religious, personal or medical reasons.
The mission of the Wisconsin Association of School Nurses is to strengthen and support professional school nurses as leaders in building healthy school communities that promote a successful learning evironment. For more information go to wischoolnurses.org.
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