Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused many people to miss wellness exams over the last year, it’s important that wellness visits and immunizations not be put on hold. Routine vaccination is considered an essential, preventive care service for children, adolescents, and adults that should not be delayed.
Here’s what you need to know about staying on track with immunizations during the pandemic.
Get ready to go back-to-school.
- The summer is a great time to make sure that your preteen or teen is up to date on his or her vaccinations and ensure that they have met any vaccination requirements for the upcoming school year. In West Virginia, one dose of Tdap and a dose of meningococcal (MCV4/MenACWY) vaccines are required for those entering 7th grade and a second dose of MCV4/MenACWY vaccine is required for those entering 12th.
- There are other recommended vaccines that, although not required for school, play an important role in protecting preteens and teens. In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine being recommended for those 12 and older, the cancer-preventing HPV vaccine is also recommended for preteens and teens, age 9 and older.
- Children and adolescents should get caught up on their vaccinations now, so that they are protected to ensure a safer return to in-person school learning.
Routine vaccinations can be given at the same time as COVID-19 vaccination.
Medical experts emphasize that it’s important not to delay care due to COVID-19. Regular well-child exams and childhood and adolescent vaccination should be kept on schedule.
Children who are 12 and older are recommended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and they can get it at the same visit as other vaccines. Experience with other vaccines has shown that possible side effects of vaccines and the way our bodies develop protection (the immune response) after getting vaccinated are typically the same when given alone or with other vaccines.
Plan ahead for multi-dose vaccinations
Some vaccinations need more than one dose to be fully effective. HPV vaccination, which is recommended by the CDC for both boys and girls, is given in two-doses for 9-14 year olds or three-doses for those 15 and older.
Most health insurance plans cover preteen and teen vaccination. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program also provides vaccines for children 18 years and younger who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid-eligible, American Indian, or Alaska Native. Adolescents can receive vaccines at their healthcare providers’ office, a community health center, the local health department, pharmacies (for some vaccines, a prescription may be needed), and at most school-based health clinics.
For more information about the vaccines recommended for preteens and teens, contact a healthcare provider or visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents.