With the new school year just around the corner, public health officials are reminding parents their children must be given the necessary immunizations as they prepare for classes.

The state of California is required to verify each child's immunization record and that all required shots have been received before the start of school.

“Most parents have already registered their children for kindergarten registration months ago,” said Maggie White, public information officer for Santa Maria-Bonita School District in Santa Maria. “Unless families are already moving into the area, then everything is usually taken care of by now.”

To enter or transfer into public and private elementary and secondary schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, children under the age of 18 must have several immunizations on file.

Those include against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and varicella. The state law mandating immunizations for all those diseases has been in place since 2003.

California law allows parents or guardians to seek an exemption from immunization requirements based on their personal beliefs and for physicians to elect medical exemptions.

The law does not allow parents or guardians to elect an exemption simply because of inconvenience.

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“Most parents have insurance, which covers the immunizations of their children,” said Adriana Almager, San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department representative. “If the parents don't have insurance, the Child Health and Disability Prevention program offers these services.”

There is a screening process to qualify for CHDP services, and a $15 fee is charged for the immunizations. If the parent can't pay the $15 for financial reasons, the fee is waived.

“The reason they continue to mandate those immunizations is because it is too difficult to change the law,” said Debbie Jo Trinidade, San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department immunization coordinator. “It costs $100,000 just to take it thorough committee.

“Since the science has progressed at such a rapid rate, we have better ways for immunizing in the last couple of years,” she said.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends that preteens and young adults get the new tetanus booster (Tdap), the meningococcal conjugate (MCV4), the chickenpox and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

“In terms of public health of children, getting the proper immunization is crucial,” said Linda Hogoboom, Lucia Mar Unified School District nurse.

Free immunization

clinics offered

Free immunization clinics for qualifying children will be held at Fair Oaks Community Center and the Nipomo Community Medical Center from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 23 and

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 27.

The Fair Oaks Community Center is at 1057 E. Grand Ave. in Arroyo Grande. The Nipomo Community Medical Center is at 150 Tejas Place in Nipomo.

Those attending must bring their children's immunization cards.

For more information about school

immunization requirements, vaccine

recommendations and vaccine-preventable diseases, contact your school nurse or the Public Health Department Immunization

Project at 346-8420 or visit www.immunize4life.org.

Hector Trujillo can be reached at 489-4206, Ext. 5008 or htrujillo@santamariatimes.com.

August 12, 2007