Kids need more than a pencil, a notebook and a lunch sack when they walk into school for the first day of classes. State and federal requirements call for certain immunizations, which can be pricey if paid out-of-pocket. To make sure children are armed against getting or giving diseases to classmates, a federal program provides funding to ensure every child has access to vital immunizations free of charge.

In the Mid-Del Schools district, the Caring Van has been making stops this spring and summer and will make one last trip to the administration building Aug. 5 to afford an opportunity to get their immunizations for free before school begins.

To receive immunizations, those from birth to age 18 need not be Mid-Del students, but must come with a parent or legal guardian and previous immunization records.

"They will be providing all of the required immunization for children from birth through age 18," Michele Elliott, Mid-Del Schools district health coordinator said. "Anybody can come."

Children will be immunized against diseases like polio, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. A new version of a tetanus and diphtheria shot recommended for children 11 and older will also be available. Elliott said the immunization is not required now, but will be for the 2011-12 school year.
Elliott said many of the immunizations can run upwards of $40 a dose, which can put a strain on an uninsured family.

SWEET 16
Things were pretty quiet when the van made a stop at the school administration building July 28. At that stop, Elliott said 16 children were vaccinated. She expects a bigger turnout Aug. 5, with the first day of school quickly approaching.

The Oklahoma Caring Van delivers immunizations to children at no cost around the county. The shots are administered by a nurse who specializes in immunizations. Funding comes from the Vaccines for Children Program.

The VFC is funded by the federal government and operated by the states. The goal of the program is to ensure no child is denied immunizations because they cannot afford the vaccines. In Oklahoma, there are more than 800 clinics and doctors' offices participating in the program. They can be found at all county health departments, the Indian Health Service and tribal clinics.

The Oklahoma Immunization Law was passed in 1970 and required all students to meet immunization requirements before entering any public or private school in the state. Under the law, the Oklahoma State Board of Health establishes the regulations on the vaccines and how many doses are required by each child. In addition, the board of health can change the regulations as new vaccines are made available and when old vaccines are no longer needed because a certain disease has been controlled or eliminated.

MEASLES OUTBREAK
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reports outbreaks of diseases like polio, diphtheria, measles, mumps and rubella were common before vaccines were made available. Even the best-laid plans can still be disrupted, like in 1980, when the health department reported an outbreak of measles in Oklahoma that resulted in 775 cases, mostly in school-aged children, and one death.

For those who do not want their children immunized for one of several reasons, state law allows an exemption. The exemptions cover medical, religious and personal reasons for declining the immunizations. There is no penalty for parents who obtain an exemption for one of those three reasons. The only backlash could be that children not immunized are at a greater risk for catching diseases, and those students might be excluded from school in the event of a disease outbreak.

Elliott said the Caring Van is equipped to immunize about 50 children per day. There is no cap on the number of children who can receive the free vaccinations. The district invites the van to come out at different times throughout the year to provide a convenient place for parents to get their children vaccinated.

"It's just another way of getting the vaccines into the community without people having to go to the health department," Elliott said.
The Caring Van will be parked at the Mid-Del Schools administration building, 7217 SE 15th St., from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 5. Children from birth to 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and each is asked to provide previous immunization records.  
For more information on immunizations, call the Oklahoma County Immunization Coalition at 425-4404.

photo The Caring Van will make stops inthe Mid-Del Schools district today to provide free shots.