Importance of School Age Vaccinations

August is the month of preparation. It’s the time of year when parents prepare for the start of a new school year. Shopping trips are being planned for school supplies and new outfits. Getting ready to go “back to school” can be an overwhelming task and sometimes things slip through the cracks. The Trumbull Health Department wants to remind parents to add school-age immunizations to their “back to school” preparation lists. Preschoolers to college students all need vaccines to ensure long-term health.

“Many childhood illnesses can be prevented with a vaccination,” said Rhonda Capuano, Trumbull Health Department Director of Health. “Ensure your child(ren) is safe from illness this school year. Make sure vaccinations are up to date.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions, preventing millions of deaths every year. From infants to seniors, immunization protects against diseases such as diphtheria, measles, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rotavirus, rubella and tetanus. The benefits of immunization are increasingly being extended to adolescents and adults, providing protection against life-threatening diseases such as influenza, meningitis, and cancers (cervical and liver cancers).

The Trumbull Health Department offers the following immunizations for students:

• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• Influenza
• Meningitis (Menactra)
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
• Polio
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap)
• Varicella (Chickenpox)

Costs for immunizations vary. Some vaccines are administered for a nominal charge for qualifying students. Only cash or check are accepted. Call the Trumbull Health Department at 203-452-1030 to schedule an appointment or for the immunization fee schedule.

The required immunizations for all children attending Connecticut schools can be found at the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health website at https://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/rpt/pdf/2015-R-0231.pdf. For more information about school age immunizations or to schedule an appointment call the Trumbull Health Department at 203-452-1030.

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The Trumbull Health Department is committed to improving the quality of life for all it serves through the promotion of health, prevention of disease, and by assuring a safe and clean environment for our residents. For more information about the Trumbull Health Department call 203-452-1030 or visit trumbull-ct.gov/THD.