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By Bob LaMendola, Florida Department of Health in Broward County<br />
Don’t let too much of summer vacation slip away before planning to get ready for school again – including all<br />
childhood immunizations.<br />
The best choice is to have the children vaccinated by your family doctor. But if that is not possible, county<br />
offices of the Florida Department of Health (DOH) are offering free immunizations over the summer. DOH-<br />
Broward will offer them again during a big campaign at Lauderhill Mall from <strong>August</strong> 7 - 22.<br />
“Vaccines are safe and have helped us wipe out many communicable diseases,” says Dr. Paula Thaqi, Director<br />
of DOH-Broward. “Parents who want to fully protect their children should have them immunized.”<br />
Skipping the shots does matter. In South Florida and elsewhere in the U.S., a few unvaccinated children have<br />
come down with cases of diseases that previously were virtually eradicated, namely measles, chickenpox and<br />
whooping cough.<br />
Florida law says children cannot start school unless they have received all vaccinations against nine contagious<br />
and potentially fatal childhood diseases. Don’t let a missing vaccination mess up the first day of school. Back-toschool<br />
shots are especially important for children entering kindergarten and seventh grade, because different<br />
requirements begin at those grade levels.<br />
Vaccinations required for school include:<br />
• Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) – 4-5 doses of DTaP for babies and<br />
pre-schoolers. 1 booster dose, TDaP, before seventh grade.<br />
• Polio – 3-5 doses for babies and pre-schoolers.<br />
• Measles, mumps, rubella (German measles) – 2 doses of MMR for babies and pre-schoolers.<br />
• Varicella (chickenpox) – 2 doses for babies and pre-schoolers. 1 booster dose before seventh grade.<br />
• Hepatitis B – 3 doses for babies.<br />
Parents are encouraged to consider additional vaccinations not required for school but recommended by federal<br />
health officials. These include vaccines against flu (yearly starting at age six months), rotavirus (3 doses for<br />
babies), Haemophilus influenzae B (3-4 doses for babies), pneumococcal disease (4 doses for babies), hepatitis<br />
A (2 doses for babies), human papilloma virus (2-3 doses starting at age 9) and meningococcal disease (2<br />
doses starting at age 11).<br />
For back-to-school needs, DOH gives free shots provided through the federal<br />
Vaccines for Children program:<br />
DOH-Broward – Free school shots at two Department health centers (appointments 954-467-4705). Also,<br />
Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 7 through Tuesday, Aug. 23 at Lauderhill Mall,<br />
1267 NW 40 Ave. Evening hours from 4 to 7 p.m. are available on Thursdays Aug. 10 and 17 and on Monday<br />
Aug. 14, and an immunization and family fun fair is set for Saturday, Aug. 12. Free vaccines for HPV and<br />
meningitis will be available. Information at:<br />
http://broward.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/clinical-and-nutrition-services/immunizations/index.html<br />
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