Extended health dept. hours to help meet immunization needs

It's back-to-school time and that meets it's school vaccine season as well.

In an effort to help meet the needs of local parents and children requiring back-to-school immunizations, the Putnam County Health Department will offer extended hours, beginning Aug. 12, it was announced Friday.

The extended hours will be in effect on Mondays only through Oct. 7 to assist in residents in completing children's school vaccination requirements, Putnam Health Nurse Christine Vandermark has announced.

In addition to regular hours on these days, the health department will be available by appointment only from 4-8 p.m.

The Putnam County Health Department is located within the Putnam County Hospital (Suite 1500) at 1542 Bloomington St., Greencastle. For an appointment in Putnam County, persons may call 658-2783.

For the 2013-14 school year, all students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade will be required to have a record documenting two valid doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine or documented history of chickenpox disease. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will need to have their history of chickenpox disease documented by a health care provider.

The health department is able to provide vaccines free of charge to children under 19 years who meet the following requirements: Medicaid, No insurance, or who have an insurance that does not provide coverage for vaccines.

With the new school year quickly approaching, state health officials want Indiana parents to be aware of new immunization requirements for school entry.

Although not required for school entry, it is recommended that students also receive the following immunizations if they haven't already:

-- Two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine.

-- Flu vaccine every year.

-- Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, three-dose series for all adolescents.

-- Booster dose of meningococcal conjugate (meningitis) vaccine for adolescents ages 16-18.

The requirements and recommendations are in alignment with the routine vaccination schedules from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). For a complete listing of all recommended immunizations, persons can visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/index.html.

Parents can get immunization records from their health care provider or use the secure website, MyVaxIndiana.in.gov, to print their child's official immunization record from home by using personal identification number (PIN).

Indiana school immunization requirements are posted on the Indiana State Department of Health website at www.state.in.us/isdh/17094.htm.

"We experienced multiple outbreaks of chickenpox around that state during the last school year," Indiana State Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joan Duwve said. "This new requirement will help stop the spread of this preventable disease and keep kids healthy and in school. Vaccinations reduce the spread of disease and help to keep all of us healthy.

The goal of the MyVaxIndiana site is to make it easier for all Hoosiers to access their immunization records, Dr. Duwve said.

"Parents can check what immunizations their child has already received and find out what may still be needed, as well as print, fax or email an official copy of the record," she added.