LIMA — New legislation signed into law in July has local health departments gearing up for an increased demand for school vaccinations.
Senate Bill 121, sponsored by Sen. Cliff Hite, R-Findlay, specified that the meningococcal vaccine be added to list of vaccines already required by the Ohio Department of Health, for children attending Ohio schools. The legislation adds the vaccination to a list of regulated vaccinations, which inlcludes polio, measles, mumps, and tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, or Tdap.
The legislation stipulates that students entering the seventh grade receive the vaccination before the school year. Students will be expected to get a booster vaccination before entering the 12th grade. Students without the vaccination will be subject to exclusion from attending school. Students receiving the vaccination after age 16 will not be required to get the second booster shot, phasing them in.
Allen County Public Health is preparing for the increased need. It will be holding a teen immunization clinic from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins will also be accepted.
“We are just trying to get the word out now and make people aware,” said Lisa Horstman, public health nurse at Allen County Public Health. “We want people to start thinking about it now.”
Horstman said parents and guardians should bring the student’s immunization record and insurance card to the appointment. Minors must be accompanied by their parent or guardian. Incoming seventh-graders will also be able to receive their required Tdap vaccination.
Auglaize County Health Department Director of Nursing Brenda Eiting said they will be encouraging the vaccination with free one-day passes to the Auglaize County Fair for students getting their meningococcal vaccine.
“We will be serving the county throughout the year, but we will begin ramping up as school approaches in August,” Eiting said. “We began working with school health officials in January to get the word out about the vaccine.
Eiting said the vaccine will help prevent the disease as students enter junior high and get more involved with sports. She said the booster vaccine will add protection as they go on to college.
“It will prevent illness and kids will miss less days,” Eiting said. “That will enhance learning.”
People of any age can get meningitis, but those found to be at the highest risks have been very young children, adolescents and, those college students living in dormitories. About 100 cases of meningitis occur annually on college campuses.
Hite sponsored the law and brought attention to the disease after his 5-year-old niece, Tess, died from bacterial meningitis.
