DC officials have urged families to ensure their kids are up to date on required school vaccines ahead of the December 8 deadline.
They issued a warning that students who are not compliant could be temporarily barred from attending class.
As per the DC Health Director Ayanna Bennett, nearly 85% of students meet current requirements, but the remainder must act quickly to avoid inconvenience.
The reminder is particularly for students in Pre-K3, kindergarten, seventh grade and 11th grade, as these age groups are due to receive vaccinations.
Bennet stated that these shots help in keeping your children safe from outbreaks, adding,“This is how we keep kids in classrooms and out of the hospital.”
Families can visit their regular healthcare providers and show proof of a scheduled appointment if they haven’t received vaccination yet.
To increase access, Howard University’s faculty practice is providing walk-in vaccinations on Friday, Monday and Tuesday, and vaccines will be accessible at Saturday’s EdFEST.
Cedar Hill Urgent Care is also offering back-to-school booster shots.
Fortunately, vaccination rates have significantly increased citywide. Four years ago, 79% of kindergarten students got the MMR vaccine; last year, the rate spiked to 93%.
DC further encouraged parents to use the Docket app at vaccines.dc.gov to check their child’s vaccine needs.
