Back-to-School: Yakima Pediatric Associates Announces Vaccine Awareness
Million worth of vaccines given out locally through clinic in 2012
YAKIMA, WA – Each year in August, National Immunization Awareness Month provides an opportunity to highlight the need for improving vaccination coverage levels. Locally, Yakima Pediatric Associates, a service of Community Health of Central Washington (CHCW), is doing their part by announcing a back-to-school vaccination push to ensure all students (and also all individuals who are very young, the elderly and other people with low level immune systems) immunized with required vaccines.
Last year, Yakima Pediatric locally gave $1 million worth of vaccines supplied through the Vaccines for Children and Washington Vaccines Association, which facilitates universal purchase of vaccines for all children of Washington State. The program provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay.
“Of all the things we do, immunizations have the greatest impact,” says Dr. Michael Schaffrinna, MD, Community Health of Central Washington’s Chief Medical Officer. “Immunizations are a public health service – when we receive vaccines, we not only protect ourselves from potentially life-threatening illness, perhaps more importantly, we protect the lives of those around us from the same.”
Over the years, there have been many new vaccines introduced. Compared to decades years ago, when the Yakima Pediatric Associates opened its doors and Vaccines for Children Program was federally established, there are now nearly twice as many vaccine preventable diseases covered by “routine vaccines”. In addition, although influenza is not counted as a “routine vaccine”, it is highly recommended and is definitely an important component to keeping our communities healthy.
Yakima Pediatric Associates provides all vaccines that are required for admission into school as well as vaccines recommended but not required (HPV and influenza). Yakima Pediatric Associates is located at 314 11th Ave, Suite A, Yakima. To make an appointment for your child to be seen, please call the office at 575-0114.
CHCW and Yakima Pediatric Associates goals are to raise awareness and promote healthy lifestyles for people of all ages while supporting strong informed families.