As the new school year approaches, health officials in Oklahoma are urging parents to ensure their children are prepared for enrollment by collecting essential documents and scheduling necessary immunizations. The Oklahoma State Department of Health has highlighted the importance of having key documents, including a child’s birth certificate and an updated immunization record, ready before the first day of school. Parents can conveniently download immunization records from the Oklahoma State Immunization Information System.
Dr. Stacey Cumming, Vice President of Pediatric Services, provided details on the immunization requirements for children. According to Dr. Cumming, children entering kindergarten must receive a series of vaccines that typically include diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox. Additionally, students transitioning to seventh grade are required to have a tetanus booster (Tdap), meningitis, and it is highly recommended they receive the HPV vaccine. As students approach their senior year of high school, another meningitis vaccination is necessary, along with Recommendations for flu and COVID vaccines for all school-aged children.
If any immunizations are missing, parents can obtain them through pediatricians or through care vans operating in the city, which offer free immunizations. It is crucial for parents to be aware that children will not be allowed to attend school without a current immunization record or a filed exemption for those with religious or personal objections to immunizations.
As the school year nears, this proactive approach to ensuring children’s health and safety not only promotes individual well-being but also contributes to the broader health of the school community. Parents are encouraged to act quickly to prepare their children for a successful school year.