The Cordova Public Health Center announced it would be offering a free back-to-school vaccine clinic next week for kids gearing up for the fall semester.
The clinic — which will vaccinate school-aged kids for free from Aug. 12-14 — will offer a variety of vaccinations free of charge, including but not limited to varicella, MMR, DTaP, and polio. School starts Aug. 21.
According to the Alaska Department of Health, children enrolled in state public schools must be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP/DT/Td/Tdap); polio; measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); hepatitis A; hepatitis B; varicella (chicken pox) through 6th grade; and Hib (influenzae type B) for kids under 5 years old. The state has also recently seen an increase in pertussis cases, otherwise known as whooping cough, and is encouraging parents of young children to vaccinate.
The number of doses needed and the type of vaccine depends on a child’s age, grade level and vaccination history, according to the Alaska Department of Health.
The Cordova Public Health Center is encouraging parents and guardians to call the center at 907-424-4547 to schedule an appointment or if they’re unsure what their kids are due for. The center is located at 110 Nicholoff Way in Cordova.
