Are Your Kids Up-To-Date on Their Vaccines During COVID-19?

Many families are focused on staying healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic, and are taking precautions to lower their risk for contracting the disease – and that's the right thing to do. But as the new school year begins, health experts have an important note for parents: COVID-19 prevention shouldn't mean skipping your child's vaccinations.

Schedule your Child's Shots

Doctors' offices are taking the necessary steps to keep their patients safe during checkups and vaccine visits.

If you think you may have fallen behind on your child's shots, talk to their practitioner. They can fill you in on vaccine recommendations for your child, and help you schedule an office visit.

Safe Immunity

Immunizations help kids safely build immunity to the diseases that the vaccines help prevent. One example is measles, a very contagious illness that can cause serious complications and even death. Measles was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. Since that time, however, new outbreaks have occurred among people who were not vaccinated.

Other diseases vaccines help prevent include whooping cough, chickenpox, and meningitis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends children get many of their shots by age 2. Despite that recommendation, it seems that fewer kids have been getting their shots during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Part of your Back-to-School Checklist

Due to COVID-19, school schedules look different this year in most communities. But vaccinations are still important — whether your kids are being home schooled, attending school part time, or will be engaging in online learning.

To see what's recommended, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's schedule of children's vaccinations.

Talk to your child's practitioner if you have questions about vaccines.

While many local schools will be operating differently this fall, Bassett Healthcare Network’s school-based health centers will be returning to their normal business hours. If your child is usually seen by a school-based health practitioner, call 1-844-255-7242 to learn if your child is up-to-date on their shots, or if they are due for a checkup.