City Of Kansas City: Free School Supplies, Weekend And Evening Back-To-School Immunization Clinics Help Families Prepare For School

Press release from the City of Kansas City:

08/13/2021 4:46 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 14, 2021 As parents, guardians and students excitedly and anxiously cross off the days until the first day of school, the Kansas City Health Department is helping families make it a smooth start. We are offering a convenient Saturday immunization clinic and three evening immunization clinics to ensure children can start and stay in school. The first clinic will be Saturday, Aug. 21, just two days before school districts in Kansas City open the school year. Appointments are required for all these clinics, so it’s important you call 816-513-6108 soon before they fill up. Appointments on Saturday will be available between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., at the Kansas City Health Department, 2400 Troost Ave. Health department staff are also looking forward to handing out school supplies to all those children who get their back-to-school immunizations that Saturday. School supplies include: 12 #2 sharpened pencils

1 highlighter

1 black ballpoint pen

1 blue ballpoint pen

1 ruler

1 protractor

4 pocket folders

1 pkg loose leaf college ruled paper

4 college ruled spiral notebooks

1 composition notebook

1 pack index cards

1 package graphing paper

1 scientific calculator

1 master combination lock

1 flash drive

1 pack colored pencils

1 pack crayons

1 set earbuds For the evening back-to-school clinics, the Childhood Immunization staff will stay until 7:00 p.m., on the following dates to welcome more children: Tuesday, Aug. 24
Thursday, Aug. 26
Tuesday, Aug. 31 “Nurses and staff are eager to protect Kansas City children by getting them vaccinated and ready for school. Because of COVID, they saw far fewer children coming into the clinic last year because of virtual learning,” said Tiffany Wilkinson, division manager of Communicable Disease Prevention and Public Health Preparedness. “We know the past school year was extremely difficult and emotional for parents, students and school staff; we want to ease their stress and burden by offering clinics that may better fit into their lives and help ensure students are able to attend in-person with their friends as soon as school starts.” Classes start the week of August 23 in all Kansas City public school districts. Missouri law requires students be up-to-date on their immunizations before attending school. New kindergartners typically need four vaccinations before they enter school including 1) measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), 2) varicella (chickenpox), 3) diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTap) and 4) polio. Students 11 to 12-years old typically need three booster immunizations. Teens also need two boosters. If students did not get these immunizations last year because they were doing remote learning, they will need to catch up for this school year. “In addition to these required immunizations, we will also have on hand all three COVID-19 vaccinations available for children 12 and older and for the adults who come with them,” said Frank Thompson, interim health director for Kansas City, Missouri. “The rise in cases among school-age children is frightening. In the first five days of August, 42 Kansas City children under five years old were diagnosed with COVID, with at least one needing to go to the hospital. That’s more than the total cases in July for that age group. It’s simple. All those who can get vaccinated need to do so for those who can’t, like these vulnerable children. Let’s all do our part to keep them in school where they learn and thrive.” As a reminder, back-to-school immunizations are also available by appointment during normal hours of operation at the health department. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday:
8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday:
8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Free COVID vaccinations are also available daily at the health department. No appointment is required. Monday, Wednesday and Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday
8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Childhood immunizations are free for those who qualify under the Federal Vaccine for Children program, or KCHD has a third-party service that will bill most insurance plans. Non-Kansas City residents will have a fee of $10 for the first child seen and $5 for each additional child in the same family. For those who don’t qualify for either of these options, KCHD also offers a service where you can pay for the vaccine.

Please bring the following to your appointment: Picture ID

Insurance cards

Medicaid cards

Vaccination records

School letters

This press release was produced by the City of Kansas City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.