As the first day of school for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools approaches on August 25, Mecklenburg County Public Health is sending out a reminder to parents: it's time to quickly check off vaccines from your back-to-school to-do list. Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington highlighted the importance of vaccinations, especially in light of recent increases in vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough. "We want to make sure children have a healthy start to their school year by getting their vaccines to keep themselves and their classmates safe and protected," he said, as reported by MeckNC.gov.
Vaccines not only are safe but also highly effective at preventing these diseases. Yet, they can take up to two weeks to become fully effective. The deadline for students to be up to date on their required vaccines is Sept. 24, 2025, or they could to potentially face exclusion from school. In instances of measles exposure, unvaccinated children or those who haven't had measles may also be excluded from the school environment for a minimum of 21 days, to help prevent any further spread of the disease and maintain safety measures.
In Mecklenburg County, there's been an uptick in whooping cough cases and a confirmed case of measles—the first in North Carolina since 2018. With one case of measles already reported in the state this year, there's a concerted push to encourage vaccination as other states grapple with larger outbreaks. Access to vaccines has been broadened beyond healthcare offices with many retail pharmacies offering them. Most insurance plans cover vaccinations, and for those without insurance, Mecklenburg County Public Health's Immunization Clinic offers free or low-cost options.
Seizing the opportunity to up vaccination rates, Public Health will offer additional clinic hours on September 6 and September 27, as well as extended evening hours from September 15 through September 19. This will to surely help busy parents secure appointments for their children without the stress of squeezing them into regular business hours. All the details of clinic times and locations are provided by MeckNC.gov, ensuring the community has all the information needed to protect their kids before school starts.
