Immunizations essential for a healthy school year, UMMC experts say

Published on Thursday, August 1, 2024

By: Annie Oeth, aoeth@umc.edu

Getting ready for a new school year involves more than shopping for notebooks and a backpack.

Immunizations ensure that children are protected against infectious diseases, so making sure your child is on schedule is essential for a healthy start to the school year, University of Mississippi Medical Center pediatric experts say.

“In public health, we cannot overemphasize the importance of updating or catching up with missed immunizations in our efforts to avoid vaccine preventable diseases, which include measles, chicken pox, whooping cough, and pneumonia in young children,” said Dr. Roberto Santos, professor and chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s of Mississippi. “Missed opportunities in childhood immunizations have been one of the major disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In Mississippi, vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP), polio (IPV), Hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and chicken pox (varicella) are required for school attendance from pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade unless a religious exemption is filed.

Other immunization considerations include vaccines for influenza and COVID-19. While not required, these can help students stay healthy during the school year, Santos said.

“There have been reports of new strains of virus causing COVID-19 and flu that may be prevented with the new COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine this fall,” he said.

The best way to be ready for school is to stay current with the vaccination schedule recommended by the Mississippi Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Preventative health care is the most important aspect of pediatric medicine,” said Dr. Billy Boldon, a pediatrician at Children’s of Mississippi’s Greenwood clinic. “Education on diet, exercise and safety along with immunizations against invasive, life-threatening diseases are the foundation for lifelong wellness.”

A particular concern is the risk of measles. Children between 12 months and 12 years old can receive the MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox. Measles was eradicated from the U.S. in 2000, but the disease still existed in other parts of the world. Declining rates of vaccination in America opened the door for the highly contagious virus to spread again in the U.S.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, one to two of every 1,000 children who get measles die from the virus or its complications. Nearly one out of every three children younger than 5 who catches measles will need hospitalization.

Children who have symptoms such as a fever, vomiting or diarrhea should stay home from school, the academy advises, since this will prevent the spread of disease to others and help them recover from their illness.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends staying on the recommended immunization schedule, which is designed with a child’s immune system in mind to provide the best level of protection.

Santos encourages parents with immunization questions to talk with their child’s health care providers.

“Pediatric providers remain the main source of medical information for parents regarding the pros and cons of having their children vaccinated,” he said. “Even among vaccine hesitant parents, pediatric providers, including pediatricians, family physicians and advanced practice providers, remain their trusted source of vaccine information. Some parents may venture on the internet for this medical information, and it is up to us to guide them on which websites are reliable sources of information.”

Among trusted sources for immunization information are the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics, Santos said.

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