The Monroe County Health Department is offering immunizations for children ahead of the new school year.
Parents can schedule an appointment by calling 734-240-7830, according to a community announcement.
The state requires all children entering kindergarten and seventh grade to be current with recommended immunizations.
“High vaccination rates protect everyone and are especially important as the new school year approaches,” Breauna Dungey, personal health services director at the Monroe County Health Department, said in the announcement. “We want to ensure kids are ready to start school or daycare by being protected from diseases that are preventable.”
Chickenpox, flu, hepatitis, measles, mumps, meningococcal, pneumonia, shingles, pertussis (whooping cough), diphtheria and polio are diseases that are preventable through vaccination. When children are not vaccinated, disease and outbreaks can occur. For example, whooping cough cases in Michigan increased from 110 cases in 2023 to 2,081 cases in 2024.
In Monroe County, the percentage of toddlers (19-35 months) current on their recommended vaccinations dropped from 74.1% in 2014 to 70.8% in 2024, according to the Michigan Care Improvement Registry.
Vaccination is also widely available with area healthcare providers or pharmacies. Families with a regular healthcare provider or pediatrician should make an appointment with their doctor. The Vaccines for Children program provides free vaccines to children younger than 19 who are eligible for Medicaid, uninsured, underinsured or American Indian or Alaskan Native. The health department accepts Medicaid and multiple private insurances.
For more information, visit healthymonroecounty.com.
This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.