With school starting back up next month, students in Frederick County, Maryland, can get free vaccines if they don’t have health insurance that covers vaccine costs.
The county’s health department said they’ll be hosting vaccination clinics from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from Aug. 1 to Sept. 11., with free vaccines provided for uninsured or underinsured students on Wednesdays only.
Appointments in advance are required and parents can schedule one by calling 301-600-3342 and asking for an immunization nurse. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by one parent, or an adult with a note from a parent, to authorize their child’s vaccination.
Students can get the COVID-19 vaccine, the flu vaccine, required Maryland vaccines and other vaccines suggested by the CDC.
According to Maryland law, all students from prekindergarten to the 12th grade are required to be vaccinated. If they don’t have the required vaccines by the first day of school, then they won’t be able to attend classes until they provide evidence of being vaccinated.
“School vaccination requirements help protect children by making sure they are protected against vaccine-preventable disease. Children who are not vaccinated can spread diseases to others, particularly to those who are too young to be vaccinated, or people with weakened immune systems, such as those with cancer,” the county’s health department said in a release.
The vaccines required of students for the Maryland 2023 school year are listed here.
