Immunization clinic to be held July 23-27

The Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, announced this week that the local health department would hold an immunization clinic July 23-27 to allow for compliance with new rules and regulations governing immunizations for schoolchildren. The hours of the clinic are Monday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Tuesday, 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., Thursday, 8 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. until noon.

The new regulations went into effect July 1 and include children enrolled in Head Start and pre-kindergarten. They are as follows.

A child under the age of five years must have the Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine. The number of doses will be dependent upon the child's age.

Children born on or after Jan. 1, 2006, who attend childcare facilities, must have two does of Hepatitis A vaccine or laboratory proof of immunity.

Parents and guardians should contact their childcare facility about their child's Certification of Immunization (Form 3231) and the expiration date. When the certificate expires, the child will be required to meet the new immunization requirements.

A child currently enrolled in a 4-year-old pre-kindergarten program who has a certificate marked as "complete for school", may need to obtain the second doses of varicella and mumps vaccine and will need to submit documentation of meeting the new requirements on the Georgia Certificate of Immunization upon entry to school (5-year-old kindergarten.)

Contact the Jenkins County Health Department regarding fees for the immunizations.