WASHINGTON COUNTY – School starts on Aug. 14 and the Southwest Utah Public Health Department along with the Washington County School District are reminding parents to make sure their children are up to date on their vaccinations. Utah law requires that students be fully immunized in order to attend school.
“All students will need proof that the correct number of doses of each vaccine and the intervals between doses is correct,” the school district’s director of student services, LuAnne Forrest, said. “If the interval between doses has been too short, the child is not fully immunized and will need another dose. If a child’s immunizations are not up to date at registration, he or she may still be able to enroll and attend school if the child receives the first dose of each vaccine and is on schedule to receive the next dose.”
Parents can contact their child’s doctor or school to find out if their child’s records are up to date. If needed, all required immunizations are available at the health department on a walk-in basis during clinic hours (bring the child’s immunization record):
Southwest Utah Public Health Department
620 South 400 East (3rd level), St. George
435-986-2557
Clinic times:
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Tuesday: 1-5 p.m.
- Every other Friday starting August 2: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Making sure children’s immunizations are up to date is an important part of getting ready for school this year. A child who is not fully immunized remains at risk for catching or spreading diseases such as pertussis (whooping cough), chicken pox, and measles.
For a list of required school immunizations, visit the School & Early Childhood Program Immunization Requirements link on the Southwest Utah Public Health Department website.
Ed note: Rule R396-100, Immunization Rule for Students, sets forth the immunization requirements of Title 53A, Chapter 11, Part 3, as in effect July 1, 2012, in particularity. It establishes minimum immunization requirements for attendance at a public, private, or parochial kindergarten, elementary, or secondary school through grade 12, nursery school, licensed day care center, child care facility, family home care, or Head Start program in this state. Provisions are also included for exemption, conditional enrollment and exclusion, as well as reporting requirements and penalties.
Points of view on immunization vary considerably. It is beyond the scope of this announcement, generated by the Health Department, to address those considerations.
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