Teen Immunization Week Comes to Gaston County
By: Grace Smith – Wise News Network
CHERRYVILLE, NC (WNN) – It is Teen Immunization Week and kids across the country are receiving mandatory vaccines for school. The Center for Disease Control started this initiative as the Adolescent Immunization Action Week (AIAW).
2024 marks the first year Gaston County has participated in this initiative. According to Lesley Sellers, the immunization coordinator at the Gaston County Health Department (GCHD), they chose to participate because it coincides with spring break for Gaston County Public Schools.
“It was good timing, that way the kids are out of school and so it may be easier to get in for an appointment without missing any school,” said Sellers.
What to get and When
This initiative helps students get immunized with mandatory vaccines, such as meningitis and tetanus. On a flier, GCHD outlines specific vaccines for middle school and high school students.
Seventh graders are required to have the Tdap vaccine, which is a tetanus booster, and the meningococcal vaccine, which is the first round of the meningitis vaccines. Twelfth graders are required to have a meningococcal booster, the last round of meningitis vaccines.
Optional Vaccines
GCHD will also offer optional vaccines; COVID-19, flu, HPV, and meningococcal B are a few examples. Meningococcal B differs from the required meningitis vaccine because it protects against a different strain.
“We recommend it to teens who may be going off to college and living in a dorm the first year, or military barracks, or any kind of situations where they may feel like they’re in more confined close-knit groups. But it is not mandatory, it is just optional,” said Seller.
The optional vaccines could still help keep teens safe. For example, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is cancer preventative care. HPV is primarily spread through sexual intercourse with skin-to-skin contact. A common symptom is genital lesions and some strains cause cancer.
Insurance and Payment
Insurance, private and Medicaid, will be billed for any appointments during this week. However, if a family is uninsured, there are options for financial assistance.
“If they are not insured, we can assist with vaccination for those children so they won’t miss anything,” said Sellers.
Teen Immunization Week started on April 1, 2024, and will end on April 5. According to the flier, those interested can call GCHD and make an appointment. Due to technical difficulties, patients should call (704) 853-5003 and then (704) 853-5009 if the first number does not work.
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