La Paz County, AZ- Back-to-school preparations are taking place across the county and La Paz County Health Department would like to remind parents about a very important item to add to the list: vaccinations. The health department will be offering back-to-school vaccinations every Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., at 1112 Joshua Ave, Suite 206 in Parker.

“We usually get a rush right before school starts and that can cause a longer wait,” said Director of Nursing, Diana Grazier.  “We want to remind parents that we can start vaccinating now and cut down on the amount of time they might have to wait.” 

No appointment is needed but parents should bring their child’s shot record and insurance card if they have insurance that covers vaccinations.  Non-custodial parents, grandparents, and relatives who do not have legal guardianship must bring a note from the parent or legal guardian in order for the child to receive vaccination. 

Arizona State Law requires that a child, upon entering school, have a record of immunizations against preventable childhood diseases as listed below:

• Preschool students must be current with the DTap/DTP/DT, Polio, MMR, Hepatitis B, and Varicella (Chicken pox) vaccines. They must also be current with Hepatitis A and Hib immunizations.  
  
• Kindergarten students must have 4-5 doses of DTap/DTP/DT, 4 doses of Polio (IPV), 2 doses of MMR, 3 doses of Hepatitis B and 1 dose of Varicella (Chicken Pox) vaccines. 
  
• 6th, 7th, or 8th grade students or students who are 11 years or older are required to have the above immunizations (incoming kindergarten) and also one dose of the Meningococcal Vaccine (MV), two doses of the Varicella vaccine (if the first dose was given at age 13 or later) and 1 dose of the Tdap vaccine if 5 or more years have passed since their last DTap/DTP/DT or Td. 
  

Other clinic locations include: Ehrenberg Elementary on the 1st Wednesday of the month from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Quartzsite Fire Department on the 1st Wednesday of the month from 1:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m., and Salome Substation building near the Fire Department, 1st Thursday of the month from 9:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m. For more information about vaccinations schedules and clinic times, visit www.lpchd.com/nursing. 

La Paz County, AZ- The dates are set for the first La Paz County adult flu clinics and the La Paz County Health Department has plenty of vaccine. The influenza vaccine will be provided at: 

Bouse Booster Club on November 4th from 11:00-noon; Desert Gold RV Park in Brenda on November 4th from 1:00-2:00pm. Quartzsite Improvement Association in Quartzsite on November 6th from 4:00-5:00pm. Walk-ins are accepted at the La Paz County Health Department but call 928-669-1100 to make sure a nurse is available.

A ten dollar donation for the influenza vaccine is appreciated for the adult vaccine. There is very little wait time with the Health Department influenza vaccine clinics. The Health Department does not bill Medicare for the vaccine so the lines move quickly.

Each flu season is unique, but Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that, on average, approximately 5% to 20% of U.S. residents get the flu. Even though influenza is a common illness, it can have serious complications. Some of the complications caused by flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections as complications from the flu. Those aged 65 years and older and persons of any age with chronic medical conditions are at highest risk for serious complications of flu. More than 200,000 persons are hospitalized for flu-related complications each year. About 36,000 Americans die on average per year from the complications of flu.

If you think you have influenza (abrupt onset of fever, muscle aches and pains, cough and/or sore throat), please contact your health care provider for information on how to treat symptoms.

“Getting the flu shot is an excellent way to prevent getting the flu but it is not the only way. There are prevention techniques available to help prevent the flu,” said Diana Grazier, La Paz County Health Department Director of Nursing.

Though getting your flu shot is the best way to protect against influenza, these simple actions can stop the spread of germs.

• Wash your hands.  Washing your hands often with soap and water or using a hand sanitizer will help protect you from germs.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.  When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick.  You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.  It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.  Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Other good habits, such as getting plenty of sleep, engaging in physical activity, managing stress, drinking water, and eating good food, will help you stay healthy in the winter and all year.  Hand sanitizer is an inexpensive way to ensure germ free hands and is available at most stores.

For more information on the influenza vaccination visit www.lpchd.com

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