An upcoming free back-to-school vaccination clinic

Jonesboro, Arkansas – Does your child require any vaccines prior to the commencement of the academic year?

A free back-to-school vaccination clinic will be held at the Craighead County Health Unit, 611 E. Washington Ave. in Jonesboro, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 30, a Tuesday. Every school district’s students are qualified.

“We want Craighead County students to stay healthy during the school year, and getting vaccinations is the best line of defense,” said Amy Howell, the health unit’s administrator. “We encourage parents to bring their children to the community clinic or the local health unit to get their immunizations.”

According to Howell, vaccinations make everyone’s school a safer environment.

“It’s very important that your child is vaccinated,” Howell said. “It protects them, your family, and all the other children in their classrooms.”

Parents should bring their insurance cards to the clinic, even though they won’t be charged. According to the news release from Monday, anyone without insurance or whose insurance does not cover immunizations can still get the vaccine.

Tdap, HPV, hepatitis A and B, MMR, varicella, meningococcal, polio, and pneumococcal conjugate are among the vaccines that are advised.

“This is a great opportunity for parents to get their kids caught up on any routine vaccines that they may be lacking prior to the school year,” said Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, director of the Arkansas Department of Health. “For many, the diseases that routine childhood vaccines protect against may not be top-of-mind, but those diseases can cause devastating illness and they do still occur.”

If parents have concerns regarding vaccinations for their children, the ADH advises them to consult with their physicians.

For further details, including a list of vaccinations needed for childcare, education, and college, see the Immunizations Arkansas Department of Health.