June 28, 2002

In order to fill the gap left during the summer vacation, a grant to the Health Department will help provide a school nurse at the new CMS Family Application Center. The Center is located at 124 Skyland Ave., off of Randolph Road just around the corner from the Health Department's southeast campus at 249 Billingsley Road.

"The Health Department and CMS are collaborating more than ever to make sure that every child is immunized according to state law," says Maria Bonaiuto, supervisor for the Mecklenburg County Health Department's School Health Program.

The nurse will counsel new students' parents about the state's requirements and the immunization services the Health Department provides. In addition to facilitating a smooth transition between registration and immunizations, this nurse will alert the Mecklenburg County Health Department school nurses at the child's home school of any disease trends or health issues that they may anticipate in the upcoming fall semester.

Children cannot register for school without an immunizations record. Students new to the state of North Carolina may be given an extension of up to 30 days after the start of school in order to get their shot records updated. Additionally, kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students must present a copy of a physical exam, done after August 15, 2001, in order to register for school. Parents are advised to make an appointment for those physicals if they have not already done so.

For more information about the required shots and a look at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended childhood immunization schedule, visit the Health Department's Web site at http://www.meckhealth.org, or check out the following link:

http://www.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/cohealth/immunization/immsched.htm.

The Health Department's immunizations clinic accepts walk-in patients, but encourages you to make an appointment to avoid the back-to-school rush for immunizations. Call 704-336-4744 for details.