Free clinics hope to vaccinate students ahead of new deadline

Sonoma County Public Health Services is offering a free whooping
cough booster clinic on August 13 to students entering into the
seventh through twelfth grade who have not met the new state
requirement.
The clinic, which will be held at Santa Rosa High School from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m., is in response to a new law that requires all
seventh through twelfth grade students to have proof of the vaccine
within 30 calendar days of the first day of school.
On September 29, 2010 Assembly Bill 354 was chaptered into
California law stating that beginning July 1, 2011 all students
entering into grades seven through twelve will be required to have
proof of receiving the Tdap booster before starting the 2011/2012
school year.  The state has recently released an extension of the
deadline for 30 days after school begins.
“After we finish collecting all the records this week, the
database will be updated and we’ll run a report to determine how
many students are still in need of receiving the booster,” said
Healdsburg High School Vice Principal Kestrel Davis. “We had many
students turn in their proofs today (registration day) so we are
hoping to have captured the majority.”
Healdsburg Unified School District will comply with the state
requirements and extension, allowing students to return to school
without the booster but plan to enforce the 30-day deadline and
follow-up with students as they return back to school.
“There is a free clinic this Saturday at Santa Rosa High School
put on by the Sonoma County Department of Health and we have a list
of many other clinics/facilities that offer the vaccination for
families need further resources,” Davis said.
The immunization booster protects students against pertussis,
more commonly known as whooping cough, which was widely spread
throughout California in 2010 causing the California Department of
Public Health (CDPH) to deem it an epidemic.
The Tdap booster will also protect against tetanus: an infection
of the nervous system and diphtheria: a throat infection.
Nearly 2,000 cases have been reported in 2011, but the disease
typically peaks in the late summer or fall, just when most children
are returning to school. The overall epidemic has resulted in
nearly 10,000 reported cases including 10 infant deaths.
“Pertussis is a very infectious disease that can be debilitating
at any age and lethal to infants,” stated the letter from the CDPH
and State Superintendent Tom Torlakson, addressed to all county and
district superintendents.
Students attending the free clinic need to come with a parent or
guardian who will be required to sign a parental consent form.
Before coming to the clinic, students are advised to eat a full
meal and bring their immunization records if available.
The Tdap booster is also available through private healthcare
providers and at several local pharmacies for a fee.
Students that are unable to receive the booster due to family’s
personal beliefs or a medical conflict can request an appointment
with the district for exemption. Unlike other immunization waivers,
the Tdap waiver must be read over and signed in-person with a
member of the district.
For more information about the vaccine clinic visit the Public
Health Web site at www.sonoma-county.org/ph.
Tdap booster shots are also available at Safeway for $59.99, and
appointments are recommended by calling 431-0128.
Robin Hug can be reached at Ro***@hb*****.com.