Back to School Immunizations
By: Jamiese Price
Updated: August 7, 2012
With two weeks to the start of school, now is the time to make sure your child has all the required vaccines to enroll.
Children entering kindergarten are required to have several shots like the Chicken Pox vaccine, Dtap, Polio, and a MMR shot, which is short for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella.
The Alabama Department of Public Health says all students including those 11 and older entering sixth, seventh and eighth grade are required to get a Tdap vaccine. Dr. Michael Ramsey, said while the shots are painful it's necessary.
"Children are more susceptible to diseases and the vaccines protect against diseases that could have serious complications," said Ramsey.
The Tdap shot protects teens from Pertussis (or Whooping Cough) and spreading the illness to family and classmates.
