Community Health Educator Natalie Peters details the procedure of getting school immunizations ahead of the upcoming year.

Peters illustrates that even though it’s the middle of summer, it’s never too early to begin thinking about scheduling school immunizations. She describes that Iowa has requirement standards for immunizations that are available to students in kindergarten, seventh, and 12th grades. Peters elaborates on all the vaccinations that Iowa requires.

“In kindergarten, those are the D-Tap, so that covers diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, polio, MMR vaccine, which covers measles, mumps, and rubella, Hepatitis B and varicella. And then  once you’re entering seventh grade, they’ll need the D-Tap Booster and then the meningococcal vaccine. And then in 12th grade, two doses of the meningococcal vaccine are required, so they’ll need to get a booster on that one they got in seventh grade.”

Peters reveals that the Dallas County Hospital offers all the required immunizations through the Vaccines for Children Program (VFC). She discusses the eligibility qualifications to enroll children.

“Your child must be Medicaid enrolled, not have health insurance, have health insurance that does not cover vaccines, or be American Indian or Alaskan native.”

Peters pinpoints that as long as children meet one of the listed requirements then they can schedule an appointment with the Dallas County Health Department at (515)-993-3750. She adds that if children don’t possess the required vaccinations before enrollment, then they can potentially be withheld from school until those are completed.