Get Ahead of Back-to-School Immunizations in August

OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Health Department (OCHD) partners with school districts to offer additional immunization clinics at local schools to help families get ahead of the back-to-school rush for required school immunizations.

OCHD’s weekly immunization clinics are open from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Nick Sterio Public Health Clinic, located at 70 Bunner St. Oswego.

The additional clinics include:

• Friday, Aug. 1; noon to 3 p.m.; G. Ray Bodley High School Cafeteria, 6 William Gillard Drive, Fulton.
• Thursday, Aug. 7; noon to 3 p.m.; Paul V. Moore High School Cafeteria, 44 School Drive, Central Square.
• Monday, Aug. 11; noon to 3 p.m.; Hannibal High School, 928 Cayuga St., Hannibal.
• Thursday, Aug. 21; noon to 3 p.m.; Oswego High School Cafeteria, 2 Buccaneer Blvd., Oswego.

Appointments are required for all clinics. To schedule, call the Oswego County Health Department’s Preventive Division at 315-349-3547 during office hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please have health insurance information ready when making an appointment. No one will be turned away for inability to pay.

According to New York State law, children must have the following age-appropriate immunizations to begin or continue attending day care, pre-K programs and school. The number of doses may vary based on the required vaccine schedule.

• diptheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTap or Tdap); measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); hepatitis B; polio, and varicella (chickenpox) vaccines are required before starting kindergarten.
• DTap or Tdap vaccine is required again before entering sixth grade.
• meningitis vaccine is required before entering seventh grade, with a booster before entering 12th grade.

The health department now also offers the Penbraya vaccine, which includes the MenACWY and meningitis B vaccine in one dose. The MenACWY vaccine protects against four types of meningococcal bacteria (A, C, W, and Y) that can cause meningitis and other serious illnesses.

“Some colleges require students to get their meningitis B vaccine before their first semester,” said Oswego County Supervising Public Health Nurse Jennifer Purtell. “Getting the Penbraya vaccine is easy and convenient for parents who want to get their child prepared for college while also getting their meningitis booster for their senior year.”

The meningitis B vaccine requires a booster vaccine six months after the first dose. Parents who schedule their teens’ first dose at the health department may also schedule the second dose.

“We will also have the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine available at our clinics, for those aged 9 years and up,” said Purtell. “The voluntary vaccine is safe and effective in preventing HPV infections that can lead to cancer.”

Parents should speak with their child’s primary health care provider or the health department about any questions they may have about which vaccines their child needs. OCHD can also provide parents with a free updated copy of their child’s immunization record upon request.

For more information, contact the Oswego County Health Department at 315-349-3547.

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