Aug 27, 2002 3 min read

Millions of parents are busy getting their kids ready for a brand new school year – buying new clothes, books and supplies, and making doctor appointments for annual physicals. But this year the doctor’s visit is more important than ever for parents to make sure their children – and the whole family – get caught up on important immunizations. Shortages of a number of vaccines from the last year are now over or ending, and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and the National Coalition for Adult Immunization (NCAI) want parents to make the back-to-school period a time for a family preventive health check.

“Back-to-School season often means vaccinations for children, but we also want parents to take this opportunity to assess their own preventive health status,” said Susan Rehm, M.D., president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. “Adults often ignore needed immunizations, and this fall is the perfect time for the entire family to catch up on vaccinations.”

Due to supply issues, many routine vaccines were deferred, causing children and adults to fall behind on their vaccination schedules. While the temporary shortages did not pose a critical health risk, the NFID and NCAI want to make sure that children and adults don’t let their immunizations lapse as supplies are restored to normal.

Supplies of the tetanus and diphtheria (Td) booster for adolescents and adults have completely recovered. Several vaccines that provide protection for younger children are currently returning to normal, including the vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DtaP), as well as for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), and chickenpox (varicella).

“Parents should call their doctors to arrange visits to catch up on any vaccines they or their children missed during the shortages,” said Dr. Rehm. “Doctors should have these vaccines in their offices now – of they don’t, parents should ask for an appointment when they can receive those vaccinations.”

Up-to-date DtaP, MMR and chickenpox vaccinations are state mandated for most children upon entering school. Children and infants receive the DTaP vaccine as a three-dose primary series given over a period of 7 to 12 months. At around 11 years old, a Td booster is needed to continue providing protection against both tetanus and diphtheria. Td boosters are recommended every 10 years throughout life and are often required for adolescents and young adults to attend grade school, high school or college in many states. The chickenpox vaccine can be given to children, adolescents or adults.

A recent study measuring the public’s protection against tetanus and diphtheria illustrates why it is important to keep immunizations up-to-date. According to the study, 91 percent of Americans between the ages of 6 to 11 years had protective levels of both the tetanus and diphtheria antibodies, which can be attributed to strong school vaccination requirements for young children. However, the study also showed what happens when people let a Td booster lapse. The proportion of protective levels decreased to 47 percent among people 20 years of age or older.

Every August the NFID helps sponsor National Immunization Awareness Month to increase understanding about immunization across the lifespan as parents and children prepare to return to school, and the medical community begins preparing for the annual flu season.

For more information about immunizations required for children and adults, consumers should consult their physicians or contact their local public health department. More information about infectious diseases and immunization can also be found by visiting NFID’s Web site at www.nfid.org.