By William E. Lewis Jr. for SouthFloridaReporter.com, July 23, 2015 – With exactly a month until kids in Broward are back in school, the Florida Department of Health is offering free immunizations for school-age children, according to public information officer Candy Sims.
Prior to being enrolled, Florida law requires documentation of age-appropriate vaccinations for all school age children, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. In addition, students entering 7th grade are required to receive Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) vaccine.
“Immunizations are safe, proven protection for all. I encourage all families to prepare early and get the required vaccinations for their children before the back to school rush,” indicated Dr. Paula Thaqi, Director, Florida Department of Health in Broward County.
The free immunizations will be offered at the Lauderhill Mall – located at 1267 North West 40th Avenue, Lauderhill, FL 33313 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday – August 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24 and 25 – from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and on Thursday, August 13th and 20th from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
The Florida Department of Health will also offer a “Back-to-School” Community Immunization and Resource Fair, on Saturday, August 22 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The Immunization and Resource Fair will include free immunizations, free face painting, free bicycle helmets for children who are vaccinated, family entertainment, and Lauderhill Mall shop discounts. Enrollment will be available for Florida KidCare (Health insurance for children), WIC (Women, Infants and Children nutrition program), and Free and Reduced School Lunch program.
Each child must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and possess the child’s immunization records.
Children unable to provide proof of immunization can obtain a copy of their D.H. Form 680– which contains the immunizations required to attend Florida schools – through Florida SHOTS, the State Online Tracking System.
Parents can now log onto the Florida SHOTS secure server directly and print electronically certified copies of D.H. Form 680 from their home computers if their health-care provider is a participating physician.
Electronically certified shot records are available for quick access with a registry-issued ID and pin number.
“Several thousand children were immunized in Broward County last year as a result of the Department of Health program,” Dr. Simon C. Wong, a Coral Springs primary care physician told South Florida Reporter. “”Beat the back-to-school rush and get your children vaccinated.”
Broward County schools are back in session on Monday, August 24th.
For more information or to learn about the various programs offered by the Florida Department of Health, please visit their website, or call them at (954) 467-4705.
