Health Officials Urge Early Back-To-School Shots
Monday, July 1, 2013
By: Alicia Mandigo

A Florida Department of Health policy change effective July 1st has officials in Orange and Seminole county urging parents to get those back-to-school immunizations early.

[Dr. Swannie Jett, Dr. Kevin Sherin and Dain Weister of the Orange/Seminole Health Dept.]

Taking your child for immunizations is never fun, and children getting their shots at the health department can face a 2-3 hour wait if their parents leave it until the beginning of the school year. Seminole County Health officer Dr. Swannie Jett says the policy change means those children with private health insurance or an established medical “home”, will need to bypass that health department line all together- and go to their regular doctor.

“The health department really wants to focus in on the people that are uninsured and underinsured, and if for some reason somebody does come to the health department and has private insurance, we will refer them back to their private doctor,” says Swannie.

Children entering kindergarten and the 7th grade are required to get immunizations before going back to school. Kids who are new to the area will also need to be vaccinated.