Fresno Unified returns next month. Do students need a COVID vaccine when school starts?
As the new school year approaches, students entering kindergarten and seventh grade will need to provide proof of vaccines to attend class.
“We invite parents to start thinking about immunizations now, ” Fresno Unified superintendent Bob Nelson said in a news release last week.
Fresno Unified is providing an immunization clinic for eligible families beginning Aug. 11, the district said.
Here’s everything families need to know about required immunizations and where to get them.
What immunizations are required?
Kindergartners must have vaccines against:
Polio
Diphtheria
Pertussis and tetanus (Dtap)
Mumps
Measles
Rubella (MMR)
Hepatits B
Varicella
Rising seventh graders must be vaccinated against:
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Varicella with the second vaccine.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend vaccinating children against the coronavirus, the COVID vaccine is not required to attend Fresno Unified schools. Public health officials earlier this year delayed plans to require coronavirus immunization in schools until at least the summer of 2023.
Ahead of the new school year, which starts Aug. 15, the district’s Health Services Department will have a free immunization clinic at Tioga Middle School for students either on Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid, or without insurance.
Students with other insurance can see their medical provider or contact a pharmacy for an immunization, FUSD said.
What do I need to know about the Tioga clinic?
When: Beginning Aug. 11, the clinic will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Tioga Middle School at 3232 E. Fairmont Ave. in Room 36
Who: Students with Medi-Cal or without insurance
Guidelines: Only one parent or guardian can accompany a student; both the parent or guardian and the student must wear a mask; and the student must bring his or her current immunization record and Medi-Cal insurance card. But if a student or adult who accompanies the student feels sick or has COVID-19 symptoms, they should not attend the clinic.
“Please take advantage of the free immunization clinic at Tioga Middle School for a healthy start to the new school year,” Nelson said.
This story was originally published July 19, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Fresno Unified returns next month. Do students need a COVID vaccine when school starts?."
