Have Your Students Gotten Their Required Vaccinations? Here's How to Help
This year, data showed more than one in five students—adolescents and elementary-age—are believed to be behind on routine vaccinations, such as MMR, meningitis, hepatitis, and tetanus, as the pandemic prevented access for many of these students and their families. But most states will require students to be on track with vaccinations when they return this fall, potentially adding another burden to school districts.
The Learning First Alliance and its members have launched www.GetVaxFacts.org with information to empower parents and caregivers. The campaign offers educators materials in English and Spanish to help families understand the importance of vaccines and obtain free, federally-funded vaccines.
The education community – school boards, administrators, counselors, nurses, teachers, and others – are trusted, effective messengers of information on school vaccination requirements. Sharing information that will educate and inspire families to bring their children up-to-date on vaccinations will save lives, improve health, and allow schools to reopen safely this fall.
Learn more about how this might affect your school reopening and use our resources—the GetVaxFacts social media toolkit,videos and podcasts with messages from trusted leaders, fact sheets to send to your families, and more are available at www.GetVaxFacts.org. Using all of the communications channels at your disposal, you can connect directly with parents and caregivers about required vaccinations.
Let’s help safeguard students’ tomorrow together.
Podcasts Urge Parents to Schedule Vaccinations
Here are three recent podcasts on the importance of staying on track with routine vaccinations—listen to these on iTunes or download at https://learningfirst.org/podcasts
Chelsea Prax, an assistant director at the American Federation of Teachers and children's health expert, discusses ways that educators can remind families and help them obtain vaccinations before the start of this school year.
2019-21 National PTA President Leslie Boggs shares her thoughts on how educators can best communicate with parents, who frequently rely on school officials as a source for factual information on vaccines.
Danny Carlson, the associate executive director for policy and advocacy at the National Association of Elementary School Principals, discusses the role of principals and calls for support from advocates and parents.
No-Cost Vaccines Available to Families
Most childhood vaccines are covered by insurance or free of charge to families who otherwise may not be able to afford them. Families that are not covered by insurance or cannot afford a visit to the doctor can obtain free vaccinations through a federal program administered by local governments and community health clinics. Find a site nearby at the CDC website.
