It’s that time of year again, National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). NIAM begins each year in August and acts as a reminder for adults and children to get their recommended vaccines.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls the program, “an opportunity to highlight the need for improving national immunization coverage levels. Activities focus on encouraging all people to protect their health by being immunized against infectious diseases.”

This year some schools are offering students vaccinations and providing free school supplies in return.
A report from WANE-TV says the state of Indiana requires all children to be current on vaccinations prior to enrollment. The Allen County Health Department is offering “free school supplies to school-aged kids who receive an immunization at the health department for the rest of this week and next week.”

The program provides students supplies such as crayons, pencils, highlighters and jump drives to each child that gets immunized.

WANE-TV reports that beginning this school year students in grades kindergarten through 12th are required to have two doses of the chickenpox vaccine, also known as varicella.

Younger children, ages four to six years old are “due” for boosters of four vaccines: DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), Chickenpox, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and Polio.

Children older than six require the following vaccines: Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), MCV (meningococcal conjugate vaccine) and HPV (human papillomavirus) for 11 and 12-year olds.

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