With the school doors about to swing open for a new academic year, North Carolina health officials are highlighting the crucial role vaccines play in keeping children healthy. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is seizing this back-to-school momentum to stress the importance of vaccinations against a backdrop of soaring measles cases and a whooping cough resurgence, according to the NC Department of Health and Human Services recent press release.
"Health care providers and families have the same goal: A healthy future for all our children," NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai said, emphasizing the consensus on the child and family well-being. Coinciding with the seasonal rush for sports or camp physicals, school health assessments, checkups, and sick visits, the department urges parents to bring their children's immunizations up to date. In the first half of 2025, measles have surged to a 30-year peak in the U.S., and North Carolina is witnessing the highest number of whooping cough cases in the past seven decades.
NCDHHS is steadfast in its mission to lower the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases among children, which in turn, aims to reduce severe illness and school absences. They underscore the availability of the Vaccines for Children program, which provides free or low-cost vaccines to uninsured children up to 18 years of age. "Vaccines remain one of the most effective means available to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death," Dr. Kelly Kimple, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Public Health, communicated the crux of the department’s push for immunizations.
August in North Carolina is more than just the close of summer; it has been declared Immunization Awareness Month by Governor Josh Stein. Complementing the focus on vaccinations, NCDHHS has introduced a bilingual Childhood Vaccines Toolkit. This resource aids health care providers and families in discussions about childhood vaccines, ensuring parents can make informed decisions to shield their children’s health. "Immunizations help protect your child by training their immune system to recognize and resist diseases," stated Theresa McCarthy Flynn, MD, MPH, FAAP, President of the North Carolina Pediatric Society, highlighting the proactive nature of vaccinations.
With the North Carolina Pediatric Society also in support, NCDHHS is encouraging parents to engage with their child’s health care provider about required and recommended vaccinations during their back-to-school checkups. They also remind parents to discuss other seasonal vaccines, such as the flu shot, for children six months and older. For detailed information on vaccine requirements and recommendations, parents are directed to examine the Vaccine Requirements for K-12 School-Age Children.
