Springfield-Greene County Health is working with CoxHealth, Jordan Valley Community Health Center, and Mercy Springfield to promote upcoming vaccination opportunities for students returning to school this fall in order to combat falling childhood immunization rates.

In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data showing that state-required childhood immunizations in kindergarteners dropped by one percent during the 2020–21 school year. This could mean falling behind in their scheduled diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough vaccine doses, Polio (IPV), measles, mumps, and rubella, as well as chickenpox.

Delayed or missed vaccinations can have consequences for the entire community. In 2019, the greatest number of measles cases were reported in the U.S. since 1992 with 1,282 individual cases. The majority, according to the CDC, were among people who were not vaccinated against the virus. Moreover, despite being eradicated from the U.S. for more than 30 years, a case of Polio (IPV) was detected in New York last month, in an unvaccinated person, further highlighting the importance of keeping up with vaccines.

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These incidences highlight the need to prioritize childhood immunizations, especially among children who may have fallen behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic making seeing a doctor more difficult.

New and existing patients can contact the provider of their choice to make an appointment or visit vaccine417.com for details and back-to-school vaccination opportunities.

Locations, dates, times and more details can be found on the Find-a-Vaccine map and Vaccination Opportunities calendar at vaccine417.com. COVID-19 vaccines will not be available at these back-to-school opportunities, but more information on COVID-19 vaccination clinics can be found on both the map and calendar.

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Media may contact the Health Department PIO Team by call or text at 417-380-2556 or email at [email protected].

Springfield-Greene County Health Department

"Helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives."

health.springfieldmo.gov | facebook.com/SGCHD | twitter.com/SGCHD

417-864-1658

227 E. Chestnut Expressway

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