Brownwood News – August 12-18 is week two of National Immunization Awareness Month 2018. This week the focus is on vaccine recommendations for infants and young children.
Infants and young children are at an increased risk of having serious complications from dangerous vaccine-preventable diseases. By the time a child is two years of age they should have received vaccines that will protect them from fourteen diseases. Children under the age of five are especially susceptible to disease because their immune systems have not built up the necessary defenses to fight infection. By getting their children immunized on time parents can protect them from diseases and also protect others their children come in contact with at school or daycare.
As time quickly approaches for children to go back to school, parents may need to get vaccines for their children. The Health Department wants to remind parents of the immunization services available at BBCHD. Children who qualify for the Texas Vaccines for Children program can get all their back to school vaccines at the Health Department. The child must meet one of the following requirements in order to qualify for the state supplied vaccines:
- Enrolled in Medicaid or is Medicaid-eligible,
- Enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Is an American Indian or Alaskan Native,
- Is uninsured, or
- Is underinsured (insurance covers only certain vaccines); the child is eligible only for the vaccines their insurance does not cover.
When you bring your child for vaccines please bring their vaccine record and insurance card. The Health Department files Medicaid on children and there is no administration fee charged for Medicaid recipients. Children on CHIP are charged the copay amount shown on the front of the CHIP card. Children who are not on Medicaid or CHIP, but are uninsured or underinsured can get all their vaccines for $14.00.
The Health Department is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00-11:30 am and 1:00-4:30 pm. Wednesday we are open from 7:30 am-5:30 pm.
If parents have questions about vaccines, vaccine scheduling or the cost of vaccines they can call the Brownwood/Brown County Health Department at 325-646-0554. Answers about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases can also be found at the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov.