ORANGE PARK, Fla. — (Note: The video above was originally published in May 2020.)
Parents and students may dread the words "back-to-school" so early in the summer, but the Florida Department of Health in Clay County is already planning ahead for kids who need updated vaccines before heading back to class in August.
The DOH is urging parents and guardians to beat the rush and schedule students' immunizations early. The Bear Run Clinic will offer all required vaccinations and documentation for Clay County School District students, including COVID-19 vaccines, by appointment only.
"Please do not wait until the last minute to get your child's required vaccines before school starts," the DOH said in a news release Tuesday. "Be advised that both the Bear Run Clinic and private offices have limited appointment slots for Back to School vaccines."
Students entering 7th grade require a T-DAP shot, and all students require an updated Florida Certification of Immunization form DH680 documenting receipt of vaccinations, the DOH release says. The form applies for students returning to brick-and-mortar schools, participating in virtual learning or entering a hybrid of both.
Limited appointment slots could delay the entry of students into school for the 2021 through 2022 school year, the release says. Parents or guardians should bring all current immunization records and a photo ID to their appointment. Children under 18 years old need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to receive their vaccinations.
"A step-parent, grandparent, adult sibling of the minor, an aunt or an uncle can bring the minor child in for immunizations if they have written consent from a natural or adoptive parent, legal custodian, legal guardian or a person who possesses a power of attorney to provide medical consent for the minor and we can reach that person by phone," the release says.
To make an appointment at the Bear Run Clinic, located at 3229 Bear Run Blvd., Orange Park, Florida 32065, call 904-529-2800.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the following immunizations are required for students to enter day care or school and remain enrolled beginning in 7th grade:
Immunizations Required for Childcare and/or Family Daycare
- Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP)
- Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV)
- Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
- Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13)
- Hepatitis B (Hep B)
Public/Non-public Preschool Entry
- DTaP
- IPV
- MMR
- Hepatitis B (Hep B)
- Varicella
- Hib
(Applies for children entering, attending, or transferring to Florida schools)
- Four or five doses of DTaP
- Four or five doses of IPV
- Two doses of MMR
- Three doses of Hep B
- One Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap)
- Two doses of Varicella (kindergarten effective with 2008–2009 school year, then an additional grade is added each year thereafter). Varicella vaccine is not required if there is a history of varicella disease documented by the health care provider.
Effective with 2009–2010 school year (then an additional grade is added each year thereafter), in addition to compliance with all other immunization requirements, children entering, attending or transferring to the seventh grade in Florida schools must complete the following:
- One Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap)
For more information, parents can read the Immunization Guidelines: Florida Schools, Childcare Facilities and Family Daycare Homes for complete information on school requirements.