Preparing for the New School Year: A Comprehensive Guide to Keeping Kids Healthy and Ready to Learn
As summer winds down, parents across the country are busy ensuring their children are prepared for the upcoming school year. In Telluride, Colorado, local organizations are collaborating to host a back-to-school fair that aims to address a crucial aspect of this preparation: ensuring children are properly vaccinated.
Safeguarding the Future: The Importance of Childhood Vaccinations
Maintaining Herd Immunity: A Community Effort
Vaccination rates among children in Colorado have been a concern, with the state's measles, meningococcal, and varicella cases on the rise. Grace Franklin, the San Miguel County Public Health Director, emphasizes the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates to protect those who cannot be vaccinated. "The more kids that are vaccinated, the more it protects those who are unable to get vaccines," she explains. "We have the tools to keep it from spreading, and one of those tools is herd immunity from vaccines."
Navigating the Vaccination Landscape
In Colorado, immunizations are a state-wide requirement for children to attend school, with at least six vaccines mandated unless a medical or non-medical exemption is on file. The upcoming back-to-school fair in Telluride aims to make this process more accessible for families. The San Miguel County Public Health Department, along with Telluride School District nurses, will be on-site to look up children's immunization records and register them for subsequent vaccination clinics.
Overcoming Barriers to Vaccination
Franklin acknowledges that there are various reasons for the lower vaccination rates in Colorado, but the local community has maintained relatively high rates. "Locally, we have pretty good vaccination rates, but we want to maintain that," she says. The fair's organizers are taking steps to address potential barriers, such as the lack of a national agency that maintains vaccination records. The state's immunization information system, which was made publicly accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic, allows parents to easily access their children's vaccination history.
Expanding Access to Vaccinations
In addition to the back-to-school fair in Telluride, the San Miguel County Public Health Department is also offering a vaccine clinic in Norwood, coinciding with the Uncompahgre Medical Center's community barbecue. This event will provide an opportunity for families in the West End of the county to receive necessary vaccinations, including flu and COVID-19 shots. The health department is encouraging residents to contact them in advance to ensure they have the appropriate number of vaccines on hand.
Preparing for the New School Year
As families in Telluride and the surrounding areas prepare for the start of the new school year, the back-to-school fair and additional vaccination clinics offer a valuable resource. The Telluride School District's first day is August 20th, while Norwood Public School resumes on August 12th. The Telluride Regional Medical Center has also designated additional appointment slots in July and August for well-child visits, further supporting the community's efforts to ensure children are healthy and ready to learn.
