We’re days away from school bells ringing for a new year, and now is the time to make sure your children have all their required immunizations taken care of before heading back to class.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and those four years old are required by the State of Iowa to receive several vaccine series before going to school. There are also routine vaccinations for those 11-12 years old and at 16 years old. Washington County Public Health Nurse Manager Karri Fisher encourages families to contact their family physician or public health to check which immunizations they need to catch up on, “They can go to any of their providers. The providers should offer those vaccines for folks that have insurance and public health. We have a program called Vaccines for Children which takes care of those people that are underinsured or uninsured and so they need to call public health and get in a clinic.”

Washington County Public Health is hosting a back-to-school immunization clinic from 3-6 p.m. tomorrow on the third floor of the Federation Bank building. Walk-ins are welcome as long as social distancing can be maintained. One adult may accompany the child receiving immunizations and face masks are recommended. They also offer immunization clinics on the first and third Tuesdays and Thursdays of each month from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and on the second Thursday of each month from 3-6 p.m. at Federation Bank, as well as from 3-5 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month at the Kalona Community Center.