Are your children up to date with their vaccinations?
7/26/2021 by Robert M. Jacobson, M.D.
It's already time to think about back-to-school needs. For many children and their parents, this means vaccinations that are due or past due.
Children just starting kindergarten this fall need their preschool vaccinations. These usually are the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis, or DTaP, or measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, or MMRV, vaccinations.
For those children who just turned 9, it's time they start their two-dose human papillomavirus vaccination, or 9vHPV.
For those 11–12, it's time for them to get their tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis booster, or Tdap, and their first dose of the two-dose series of the meningococcal conjugate vaccination, or MenACWY.
All children 12 years and older need to complete their COVID-19 vaccination.
Those teens who just turned 16 need their second dose of the two-dose series of the meningococcal conjugate vaccination.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made a mess of everyone's routines. If you can't remember where your children are at with their vaccinations, contact their health care team and make sure your children are up to date. You can access your children's vaccine record through Patient Online Services. Your teen can log into their Patient Online Services account to access their record. Consider keeping a printed copy on your children's vaccinations on hand.
Robert M. Jacobson, M.D., is a pediatrician in Community Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He is the medical director of the Primary Care Immunization Program for Primary Care in Southeast Minnesota.