OCALA—The Florida Department of Health in Marion County is partnering with Marion County public and private schools to hold free vaccination clinics at area schools.

The free vaccinations are for students who will enter the seventh grade in the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.

“We want to give parents every opportunity to ensure their children have the required vaccinations so they can start seventh grade on time this August,” said Mike Napier, acting health officer at the Florida Department of Health in Marion County. “Vaccinating your child is good for them so they don’t get sick, good for you as a parent so that you don’t miss work for a sick child, and good for everyone in the community because they won’t be exposed to contagious illnesses.”

“When your child is immunized, you ensure his or her safety to enter the classroom in a healthy manner, ready to learn,” says Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn. “This means on the first day of school, your child should be ready to enter class fully prepared to experience seventh grade.”

Department Immunizations and School Health staff will provide required vaccinations, including:

• Tetanus diphtheria and acellular pertussis booster, or Tdap

• Hepatitis B

• Polio

• Measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR

• Varicella

The following schools are scheduled:

March 10—Blessed Trinity Catholic School

March 18—Dunnellon Middle School

March 19—Belleview Middle School

March 25—Fort King Middle School

April 8—Osceola Middle School

April 9—Meadowbrook Christian School

April 10—Fort McCoy School

May 12—Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks

May 13—North Marion Middle School

May 14—Lake Weir Middle School

May 20—Liberty Middle School

May 21—Howard Middle School

July 23—Lake Weir Middle School

All vaccines are free. Parents or guardians need to be present to give consent for children to receive the vaccines.

For information on school immunization outreaches, call Mary Anne Jackson at 352-629-0137, ext. 2017.

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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