Parents urged to not delay back-to-school vaccinations

Thomas Howard, The Meridian Star, Miss.
·2 min read
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Jul. 8—Parents of school age children are urged not to delay their child's back-to-school immunizations, state health officials said Thursday.

Mississippi requires all children be immunized against potentially deadly childhood diseases, with specific immunization requirements for those heading to school for the first time and prior to entering 7th grade.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said immunizations are widely available throughout the state at pharmacies, heath departments and more.

"There are many options for where to get your vaccinations now, including private medical providers, retail pharmacies and county health departments," he said. "Regardless of where you have your child vaccinated, it's incredibly important to make sure they are up to date on their immunizations. It is the best protection for your child and those around them."

Additionally, many health departments throughout the state offer immunization clinics as children prepare to head back to school each fall. Residents can reach out to their local health department to see if an immunization clinic will be held in their area.

When registering their child for school, parents will need to provide a Certificate of Immunization, also known as Form 121, which proves their child has the proper vaccines. The form can be gotten from the vaccine provider or online.

Mississippi Department of Health recently launched MyIRMobile, and online portal where parents can access their child's immunization records and print the proper forms.

"MyIR Mobile is an online portal that gives users access to their official state immunization records based," MSDH said in a news release Thursday. "MyIR Mobile allows users to not only see their own immunization records, but to also add family members to their profiles to see if their child is up-to-date or needs their next vaccination. If none are needed, a certified Form 121 can be downloaded or printed."

For more information about immunization requirements, visit MSDH.ms.gov/immunizations.