Back-To-School Immunizations: Here's What You Should Know

Getting ready for a new school year involves a lot more than just scouring the internet for the perfect laptop or updating your child’s fall wardrobe. In addition to regular medical, dental and vision checkups, vaccinations can play an important role in helping keep your student safe from disease. Given that recommended and required vaccinations vary by age and even by state, navigating your way through back-to-school immunizations can be tricky. GoodRx is here to help answer the most pressing questions about these immunizations so you can make an informed decision when it comes to your child’s health.

Are Immunizations Required For Children?

State laws establish vaccination requirements for school children. These vaccination requirements are for children in public school, private school and day care, as well as college/university students (some colleges and universities have their own vaccination requirements — particularly regarding the COVID-19 shot). For the specific details on your state’s vaccination laws, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Why Do States Require Students To Receive Certain Immunizations?

Back-to-school immunizations protect children and teens from potentially harmful diseases. These diseases can be very serious and may even require hospitalization if a child becomes infected. Additionally, vaccinations help your child become immune to infections. They also stop the spread of infections to others, which is vital in a school environment where groups of children gather closely together in various indoor and outdoor spaces.

Keeping Protected Against COVID-19 As Schools Reopen

The CDC recommends that everyone 12 and up receive a COVID-19 vaccination. For those who need assistance finding locations that administer the COVID-19 vaccine, GoodRx’s COVID-19 Vaccine Finder allows you to do just that. Available to all, the COVID-19 Vaccine Finder lets you browse by vaccine, pharmacy or state.

To ensure that children have a safe school year, the CDC has also shared a list of precautions the K-12 crowd can take to keep themselves safe against COVID-19. For all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools, the CDC now recommends universal indoor masking, regardless of vaccination status. It also advises that schools should maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms. For the full list of guidelines from the CDC, visit its website.

Which Immunizations Will My Child Need?

The CDC has a comprehensive list of the recommended vaccines for different age groups. The vaccines below can be received during your child’s once-yearly checkup.

4 To 6 Years Old

• Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (pertussis) (DTaP)
• Polio (IPV)
• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
• Chickenpox (varicella)
• Flu

7 to 10 Years Old

• Flu

11 to 12 Years Old

• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine
• HPV vaccine
• Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis)
• Flu vaccine every flu season

13 To 18 Years Old

• Flu

Where Are Immunizations Administered?

To the surprise of some, your doctor’s office isn’t the only place you can go to keep your child updated with their immunizations. It’s likely that your local pharmacist also provides immunization services. Given that the pharmacists and pharmacy interns administering these vaccinations undergo training on how to properly give the shots, know that your child is in great hands.

How Much Do Immunizations Cost?

Most private insurance plans cover childhood vaccinations at no cost to you, but if that’s not the case, you may be able to use GoodRx to obtain discounts on immunizations. To use a GoodRx coupon for your vaccine, all you have to do is look up the item you want to buy on GoodRx and print, email or text yourself the appropriate coupon. Present this coupon at the pharmacy counter and talk to your pharmacist about administering the vaccine, or take it back to your doctor.

Returning to school can be exciting but also nerve-wracking for both children and parents. Knowing your kids are up to date on their back-to-school immunizations can help reduce your stress during this time of year.

Visit GoodRx to access discounts on vaccinations, prescriptions and much more.