Children in Kay County will soon be returning to school, and the Kay County Health Department is encouraging parents and guardians to schedule vaccination appointments as soon as possible so children are prepared for their first day of school.
“The health department can get very busy as we approach the first day of the school year and we want parents to avoid back-to-school crowds,” said coordinator Nurse Amy Weehunt.
Weighandt said vaccinations are one of the best ways to protect children’s health from vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Keeping your children’s vaccinations up to date is the best defense against diseases like whooping cough and measles, and we encourage families to get their children vaccinated now while there are minimal wait times at health clinics,” Wehund said.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and bring valid identification and insurance (if applicable). Children up to 18 years of age may receive the vaccine at no charge through the Vaccines for Children Program if they are Medicaid eligible, uninsured, Native American Indian or do not have the vaccine covered by insurance.
The Kay County Health Department will partner with Ponca City Public Schools to administer vaccinations at school entry on July 18 and 25 at the registration center located at 111 W. Grand in Ponca City. For more information, contact the Kay County Health Department at (580) 762-1641.
