VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Parents like Chrissie Riese are busy in the weeks leading up to the first day of the new school year. Riese's two children attend White Oaks Elementary School.
"We've bought all the things, you know, like the 15 boxes of crayons, and like the 17 folders," Riese says.
Next for her six and nine year old children is a trip to the pediatrician. Riese makes it a point to be sure her kids are up to date on their immunizations.
"One, to protect our community," she explains. "We have a lot of immunocompromised friends and family. So why wouldn't we want to protect them? Two, schools are gross places."
Riese is far from the only parent with an appointment at the pediatrician's office this month.
"We're busy," explains Dr. Doug Mitchell with Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. "We're trying to get kids back in the classroom where they belong."
Medical professionals like Dr. Mitchell are rushing to make sure children have the shots they need. They're also helping parents understand why getting these vaccines are so important.
"We've done such a good job of preventing these serious complications and illnesses, that many people have not even seen them," Dr. Mitchell explains. "And they think they're gone. They're not gone."
Virginia requires different immunizations for school children, depending on their age. They include:
- Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough)
- Hepatitis
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella
- Polio
- Chickenpox
- Meningitis
- HPV (Human Papiloma Virus)
Parents can easily opt out of the HPV vaccine, though Dr. Mitchell recommends against it. He points to the shot's 95% success rate in preventing cancers.
"Are there questions about it? Sure," Dr. Mitchell says. "There are with any vaccines, we have questions and are talking about it, and making sure that people are comfortable with the vaccines that they're receiving."
There is a process for Virginia parents to opt out of the other immunizations. For religious objections, parents must submit a notarized certificate of religious exemption. For medical waivers, parents need documented proof from a physician or health department, stating the shots could harm their child.
"It's very rare. I can't even think of any child in the last three or four years that I've had a true allergic reaction to vaccines," Dr. Mitchell adds.
Doctors in his office have already vaccinated thousands of school children this summer. They're bracing for even more over the next couple of weeks.
"We always have the last minute rush in August, where it's just, be patient with us," Dr. Mitchell adds.
