BEDFORD—The Lawrence County Health Department, located at 2419 Mitchell Road in Bedford, is hosting a kindergarten vaccine clinic every Thursday in June from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All Lawrence County kindergarten-age children are welcome. Vaccination is required to start kindergarten.
The vaccines needed are MMR, Polio, DTap, and Varicella. Be sure to bring your ID and child’s insurance card to the clinic. Most private insurance is accepted. If the student is uninsured or underinsured, there is a $15 cash-only administration fee that can be waived.
The Lawrence County Health Department has set up extended hours to ensure parents have time to vaccinate their children. Be sure to get the vaccines as early as possible to avoid the “back to school rush.”
If you are hesitant to get your child vaccinated, The Lawrence County Health Department will answer any questions you may have to relieve some concerns. “We educate the parents as much as possible,” said Emily Kinnarney, school liaison and vaccination nurse. “We want them to make an educated decision. We never want to force parents to get vaccines for their children if they don’t want to.”
Measures are in place to ensure your young one is comfortable during their visit. Parents can be present for the vaccinations to help comfort their child, and “shot blockers” can be used to minimize the discomfort of getting a shot. “We try to make it as fun as vaccinations can possibly be.” After the shot, kids will be given a choice of what prize they want to take home.
“We have gotten a lot of positive feedback that we take the time to talk through the vaccines with the parents and kids,” Kinnarney added, “We want to spend that quality time to educate and help people understand the importance of vaccines.”
