By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-918764.mp3
Dallas, TX – This is the last week to get immunizations before school starts. Classes resume across Texas Monday, and KERA's BJ Austin says students who do not have up-to-date shot records will be sent home.
At the Dallas County Health Department on Stemmons, the line stretched out the door yesterday morning. People waiting for shots. The Department's Blanca Cantu says she expects that will be the case all this week at the main clinic and others.
Cantu: Now we do have six clinic locations that are open 8-4, Monday through Friday. We encourage parents to bring their shot records, and be patient with us because we are experiencing long wait times.
Last year, new immunization requirements kicked-in, and so many parents waited until the last minute that the state granted an extra month to meet the new shot requirements. But Cantu says that won't be the case this year, and Dallas County Health officials estimate there are ten thousand city of Dallas students who don't have their "shots". At Dallas County clinics there's a ten dollar fee for shots if it's a first visit; five for repeat patients; and free for Medicaid patients.
Cantu: We're not the only ones who offer immunizations. There are clinics in our area. There are doctor's offices. And so we're just hoping that not that many kids miss classes on that first day.
Parkland Hospital's Youth and Family clinics offer as many as seven shots for FIVE dollars. Eleven Youth and Family clinics are located on school campuses throughout Dallas County. Dr. Khalida Yasmin says there are no income eligibility requirements. Everyone is welcome, and there's rarely a long wait.
Yasmin: Anybody that comes in here, we are excellent at review immunizations. Our nurses are really very good. They review everything. And when they walk out of here, they are all up to date.
Tarrant County is offering low or no-cost immunizations at eight public health clinics and at a special shot-clinic at Everest College on Division in Arlington this week. The Arlington location will also be open Saturday morning.
Blanca Cantu, with Dallas County, says they've been reminding parents all summer that this is a back-to-school item they cannot ignore.
Cantu: If their children are not up-to-date with their immunizations, they will not be allowed to start school on Monday. They will be turned away.
Additional Information:
http://www.dallascounty.org/department/hhservices/hhs_intro.html
http://www.parklandhospital.com/medical_services/youth_family_locations.html
http://www.tarrantcounty.com/ehealth/site/default.asp