As children and families across the Bay Area prepare for the upcoming school year, Bay Area health officials urge everyone to make sure your back-to-school checklist starts with getting your child vaccinated.

Vaccines are safe, effective and a routine part of preventative healthcare. They protect against serious diseases such as measles, pertussis (also known as whooping cough), and polio.

“We want to maintain our high levels of vaccination coverage,” said Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana, San Mateo County Health Officer. “Routine childhood vaccines not only protect children from serious illnesses. They also help every child grow up healthy, safe and ready to learn.”

Children in California are required to receive certain immunizations to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools, childcare centers, family day care homes, nursery schools, day nurseries and developmental centers (pre-kindergarten facilities). Families are encouraged to:

• Check their child’s vaccination records with their health care provider or through California’s Digital Vaccine Record portal.
• Schedule well-child visits early and before the school year begins to avoid last-minute delays.
• Access low- or no-cost vaccinations through local public health clinics if uninsured or underinsured.

Resources

• Vaccine information from San Mateo County Health:
  https://www.smchealth.org/vaccines
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• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Healthy Children.  Immunizations: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/default.aspx
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• CDPH Immunization Branch.  Resources for Parents / Guardians: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/School/resources-parents.aspx
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• My Digital Vaccine Record: https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/
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• Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): https://vaers.hhs.gov/
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Health Officers endorsing these recommendations are from the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma, and the city of Berkeley.

Preston Merchant
Communications Officer
San Mateo County Health
(650) 867-1661