Posted: August 9, 2007

SANTA ROSA - With the new school year fast approaching, Deputy Public Health Officer Leigh Hall urges parents to make sure their children are fully immunized before classes begin.

"Immunizations are a safe and effective way to help kids stay healthy by protecting them from serious diseases, such as whooping cough, hepatitis B and chickenpox," Dr. Hall said. "These illnesses are still around and can rapidly spread between children who have not been fully immunized. Complications from these diseases can be devastating to children and their families."

California schools are required to verify each child's immunization record to ensure that all required shots are completed. Before entering kindergarten, children must have a total of five shots of DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), four of polio, three of hepatitis B, two of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and one of varicella (chickenpox).

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that preteens and young adults get the following immunizations:

• The new tetanus booster (Tdap). This vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). Whooping cough, which is highly contagious, can lead to a severe cough that can cause vomiting and broken ribs. A Tdap booster shot will also help protect close contacts (e.g. infants) that may be at risk for more serious complications from the disease.



• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4). This vaccine protects against invasive meningococcal disease, a serious illness that can infect the blood and cause meningitis. It is recommended for preteens (11-12 years of age) and for all previously unvaccinated adolescents at high school entry and college freshmen living in dorms.



• Chickenpox vaccine. A second dose of chickenpox vaccine is recommended for all children over 4 years of age who have not had the disease.



• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. This 3-shot series is now recommended for girls 11-12 years of age to prevent cervical cancer in adulthood. Other females ages 9-26 are also eligible to receive the vaccine.

"Schools and child care providers do an excellent job working with families to make sure children get the shots they need before they enter school," said Dr. Hall. "Their efforts to protect the children from serious diseases have resulted in high immunization rates in Sonoma County."

The Sonoma County Family Immunization Clinic is offering special back-to-school immunization clinics during August, which is also National Immunization Awareness Month. For more information about school immunization requirements, vaccine recommendations, and vaccine-preventable diseases, parents should contact their child's physician, school nurse or the Sonoma County Family Immunization Clinic at 565-4820 or visit the website at www.sonoma-county.org/phclinics.