Local vaccination clinics prevent illness, help families meet school requirements

Vancouver, Wash. - Summer is in full swing, but school is just around the corner. Ensuring your children are up to date on school vaccinations should be on every parent's checklist for the last weeks of summer. 

Vaccinations protect children from many serious diseases and are required for school. Children who do not meet all school vaccination requirements can be excluded from school until they do meet them. 

"Getting vaccinated according to the recommended immunization schedule is one of the most important things a parent can do to protect their child's health," said Public Health Nurse Brianna Dannen. "Diseases can quickly spread among groups of children who aren't vaccinated." 

Lists of vaccination requirements for children birth to six years old and children seven to 18 are available on the Washington State Department of Health website under the You and Your Family tab. 

All vaccines required for school are free for students up to age 19. Some providers may charge an administrative fee. Parents who can't afford the fee may ask to have it waived. Families without a regular health care provider can receive free back-to-school vaccinations at the clinics listed below. Please be sure to bring your child's immunization records. 

Camas4Kids Fair 
Doc Harris Stadium, 1125 N.E. 22nd Ave., Camas 
Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m.--2 p.m. 
360.838.2440 

Free Clinic of Southwest Washington 
Walk-in, uninsured children only 
4100 Plomondon St. 
Every first and third Wednesday year-round, 5:30--7:30 p.m. 
360.313.1390 

Hudson's Bay High School ??' Go Ready! Back-to-School Readiness Festival 
1601 E. McLoughlin Blvd. 
Tuesday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m.--1:30 p.m. 
360.342.8060; www.vansd.org/goready 

LaCamas Medical Group 
Ages 6 and older 
3240 N.E. 3rd Ave., Camas 
Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2--6 p.m. 
360.838.2440 

Patient Direct Care 
Call to ensure availability 
209 E. Main St., Ste. 121, Battle Ground 
Monday--Friday, 8 a.m.--5 p.m. 
360.999.5138 

Sea Mar Vancouver Medical Clinic 
Walk-in 
1125 N.E. 22nd Ave., Camas 
Aug. 21, Aug. 28, Sept. 11, Sept. 18, Sept. 25, 8 a.m.--7 p.m. 
360.852.9070 

Most students in Washington get the vaccinations needed to attend school. However, 5.3 percent of K-12 students statewide were exempted for religious, personal, philosophical or medical reasons in the 2016-2017 school year. Clark County's overall K-12 vaccine exemption rate in schools with enrollments of 50 or more is 7.1 percent, ranging from 0 percent to 23.2 percent in individual schools. Of these exemptions, three-quarters are for personal reasons, not religious or medical reasons. 

"This is concerning because many diseases require high vaccination rates to ensure there's enough widespread immunity in the population to protect others who have not developed immunity or are unable to get vaccinated," said Dr. Alan Melnick, health officer and Public Health director. 

For additional information, see www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents and www.vaccineinformation.org/.