Add routine vaccines to your child’s back-to-school checklist

SALT LAKE CITY — After a summer of fun, it’s time to return to the classroom. But back to school means back to germs.

“When people go back to school, there’s an uptick in illnesses,” said Dr. Peter Lindgren, a pediatrician with Intermountain Health.

Lindgren noted a good way to protect your child is by catching them up on their routine immunizations.

“It’s something that we can all do together to protect the most vulnerable people in our community,” he said.

Utah requires students entering kindergarten to have proof of the following immunizations:

• 5 DTaP
• 4 Polio
• 2 Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)
• 2 Hepatitis A
• 3 Hepatitis B
• 2 Varicella (Chickenpox)

Utah students entering 7th grade must have proof of the following immunizations:

• 1 Tdap
• 2 Varicella (Chickenpox)
• 1 Meningococcal
• 3 Hepatitis B

While the flu and COVID shots are not required for school entry, experts still recommend them.

“Vaccines are really quite effective,” Lindgren said. “They’re probably the best thing that we have to prevent severity.”

Also, make sure your child stays home when they’re sick, and reach out to your medical provider with any questions or concerns.

“The biggest thing – from a pediatric standpoint – is having that sort of relationship with that provider, so that as problems may emerge, there’s a place in the system to be able to deal with those things as they come up,” Lindgren said.

You can get back-to-school vaccines at several local clinics, pharmacies, and public health centers. Visit immunize.utah.gov to find a location near you.