WILLIAMSON COUNTY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

 

Williamson County and Cities Health District Clinics Provide Required School Vaccinations

 

            July 23, 2004 (Georgetown, TX) -- State health and education officials say parents should make sure their children are in compliance with school-enrollment vaccination requirements before school starts or the students will not be allowed to attend school.

            In the past, some schools have allowed out-of-compliance students a 30-day grace period to start getting the required vaccinations.  But this school year, that provisional enrollment may not be granted unless the student has received at least one dose of each required vaccine series and is not overdue for a vaccine dose.       

Homeless students and certain students transferring from other Texas schools will be granted the temporary enrollment regardless of vaccination status.  Some students are exempt from vaccination requirements for medical or religious reasons or for reasons of conscience.

            State immunization requirements dictate that school students be vaccinated against nine illnesses:  diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and varicella (chicken pox).  Vaccination against a 10th illness, hepatitis A, also is required in 39 Texas counties for students in kindergarten through third grade--although hepatitis A is not required in Williamson County.

Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) clinics provide vaccinations.  Parents or guardians should bring their children's immunizations records with them to the clinic.  Please call the WCCHD clinic in your area to confirm the hours vaccinations are available and find out the cost of vaccinations.  WCCHD information can be obtained at http://www.publichealthwilliamson.org/ or as follows:

• WCCHD Health Care Hotline 248-3252 or 1-800-890-6296
• WCCHD Cedar Park Clinic, 350 Discovery Blvd., Cedar Park, TX 78613, 512-260-4240
• WCCHD Georgetown Clinic, 100 West 3rd Street, Georgetown, TX 78626,

512-930-4386

• WCCHD Round Rock Clinic, 211 Commerce Cove #109, Round Rock, TX 78664,

512-248-3257

• WCCHD Taylor Clinic, 115 West 6th, Taylor, TX 76574, 512-352-5201

            "We strongly encourage parents and guardians to make sure their school-age children are as fully vaccinated as possible before the first day of school," said Shirley Neeley, Texas commissioner of education.  "We don't want any students to miss valuable learning time."

            Eduardo Sanchez, Texas commissioner of health, said, "The fact that these vaccinations are required for school attendance underscores their value in preventing illness."

            He encouraged parents taking their school-age children for vaccinations to also make sure younger siblings are up-to-date in their vaccinations.

"It's crucial that infants and toddlers are protected, too," Sanchez said.

            Routine vaccination recommendations call for most of the vaccine doses required for school attendance to be given by age 2.  But catch-up schedules are available for students who did not receive the vaccines when younger.

            Some vaccines are given in combination forms that cover multiple illnesses.

Most of the vaccines are given in multiple doses over time.  Exact requirements vary with grade level.

            Specific vaccination requirements for school attendance are available from schools, physicians' offices and at the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) clinics.  The information also is available online at www.ImmunizeTexas.com or by calling the Texas Department of Health at 1-800-252-9152.  The requirements apply to students in all public and private primary and secondary schools in Texas.

 

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