Northam encourages Virginia parents to get children caught up on vaccines

(The Center Square) – With the new school year approaching and all schools returning to in-person education, Gov. Ralph Northam is urging parents to get their children caught up on vaccine shots.

“Back to School is a great time for students of all ages to visit their pediatrician,” the governor said in a statement. “During these check-ups, babies, children and adolescents can receive their routine immunizations to ensure we have a healthy school year. It is also a good idea for everyone eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine to get the life-saving shot.”

Northam, a pediatrician himself, voiced his message to parents while speaking at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University. He recognized August as Immunization Awareness Month and said parents who waited to get their children vaccinated should do so now.

With some schools not holding in-person classes last year and some people afraid to spend a lot of time in the public, vaccinations are lower than usual. The governor said some parents may have missed their usual vaccine immunizations for their children, but that if parents fail to get their children vaccinated on time for the upcoming school year, they may not be able to start school or enter into daycares.

“COVID-19 disrupted both in-person learning and routine well-child visits for Virginian children over the last year and a half,” Dr. Avula, Virginia’s state vaccination coordinator, said in a statement. “The CDC’s immunization ordering data shows a 14% drop in 2020-2021 compared to 2019, and measles vaccine ordering is down by more than 20%. Especially now, it is critical that children receive their immunizations so we don’t overwhelm our health systems with the co-circulation of illness.”

The Virginia Department of Health provides free vaccines for children.

At this time, the COVID-19 vaccine is not required for school attendance and not all age groups are eligible to receive it. The federal government has approved the vaccines for children aged 12 and older.

The governor has said Virginia is ready to vaccinate children aged 5 through 11 and hopes the state receives federal approval before the end of the year.

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