Kids across North Carolina are headed back to the classroom. When they get there, there are a number of required vaccines they need to have.
North Carolina law requires public and private school students to receive all CDC-required vaccinations before entering school or daycare.
Most students will receive initial doses of required vaccinations early on in childhood.
“Usually the critical time for vaccinations are usually the kindergarten ages 4-5,” explained Dr. Magally Prosper with UNC Health.
Vaccination requirements for those younger than 6 include, HBV, DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV, MMR and Var.
Rotavirus, flu and HAV vaccines are also recommended at this age. The CDC also recommends children between 6 months and 6 years receive at least one dose of the latest COVID-19 vaccine.
“The next step is at 10-11 years old,” said Dr. Prosper. “They do need new vaccines to start school like the tetanus vaccine and the meningitis vaccine.”
High school aged students heading to school in North Carolina would likely be due for booster doses for vaccinations received when they were younger.
CDC and Wake County vaccination recommendations also advise HPV vaccines be given starting at age 9.
WRAL was there as the Tanaka family visited UNC Health Pediatrics at Apex location for back-to-school sports physicals and vaccinations.
Brian Tanaka shared he and his wife have always recognized the importance of regular visits to their family doctors.
“Our priority as a family is to have our annual wellness checks and to make sure all members of our family are seeing their physicians on an annual basis so we have a good understanding of our health year-to-year,” he shared. “This is just part of our family routine.”
Olivia Tanaka, heading into 7th grade, shared she is most looking forward to seeing friends and playing sports.
“You get to talk to everyone and ask them how their summer went,” she shared.
The middle of the three sisters was also due for additional vaccines as a middle schooler.
“Just so we so we stay healthy and can go to school and hangout with our friends,” she shared when talking of why she was getting vaccinated.
Dr. Prosper said parents should always have open conversations with their family pediatrician regarding vaccinations.
“A lot of parents have questions about vaccines, they’re concerned about side effects or things they read online,” stated Prosper. “I encourage parents to really have an open and honest conversation with their pediatrician to be able to address any questions or concerns they have so they can make the right decision to vaccinate their children.”
College-aged students may also be due for additional boosters heading back to campus.
For example, Tdap boosters are to be given every ten years after completing the DTaP series during youth.
Adults 50 and older are also required to receive the shingles vaccine. Those over 65 are also required to receive one dose of each PPV and PCV13 for pneumococcal disease.
Wake County offers vaccinations at several locations including: the Public Health Center in Raleigh and the Regional Centers in Raleigh, Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest and Zebulon
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