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- La Paz County Health Department was the recipient of its seventh Daniel T. Cloud Outstanding Practice Award for exceptional immunization rates in adolescents at the annual Arizona Partnership for Immunizations (TAPI) awards ceremony in Phoenix, April 23, 2014.

Since its inception in 2000, The Arizona Partnership for Immunizations (TAPI) has recognized exceptional efforts of individuals, community groups, and organizations that have made a difference in immunization coverage levels within the last year with the Daniel T. Cloud Award. This can be done through the development of new ideas and/or policies that lead to increased rates, or by meeting certain targeted goals. 

The Daniel T. Cloud Award is for any organization or practice with outstanding immunization rates in one of two categories: toddlers and adolescents. The toddler award is for an organization that has reached a 90% or higher coverage level for children that are fully immunized before the age two. The adolescent category is for an organization that has reached 90% coverage rates for the vaccines Tdap, MCV4, and HPV.  The awards are presented in 2 year cycles. La Paz County Health Department has received a total of five toddler and two adolescent awards: the most awards any health department or practice has received.

“We are proud of our staff,” said Diana Grazier, La Paz County Director of Nursing, “but we couldn’t do it without the tremendous support we get from the schools or the diligent effort on the part of the parents/guardians of these children.”

La Paz County, AZ- La Paz County Health Department is pleased to announce National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW); an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases, April 26st-May 1st.  Whopping cough (pertussis) is a fast growing concern in the United States and Arizona where rates are at an all time high since 1950. Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease that causes severe coughing in all ages, but it is more likely to kill infants. The Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine) is the best way to protect against pertussis but vaccination rates are staggering low among the group that spreads it the most: adults.

“56% of infant pertussis cases can be traced back to an adult spreader because only 14% of adults were vaccinated for pertussis in 2012 ,” said Diana Grazier, Director of Nursing for La Paz County Health Department. “In order to protect the youngest in our communities, adults should come in for a Tdap vaccination, especially if they are pregnant, live with an infant or care for an infant.”

Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. After fits of many coughs, someone with pertussis takes deep breathes which result in a "whooping" sound. Pertussis most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies less than 1 year of age. Each year, 10,000 to 40,000 cases of pertussis are reported. Out of those cases, many lead to hospitalization. Infants are at greatest risk for getting pertussis and then having severe complications from it, including death. About half of infants younger than 1 year old who get pertussis are hospitalized, and 1 or 2 in 100 hospitalized infants die.

“Infants are especially vulnerable. That’s why we target the adults in order to create a cocoon of protection,” said Grazier. Adults need just one Tdap vaccination and La Paz County Health Department has it. Tdap is $40 at the health department or free to adults with no insurance but it is in limited supplies so please call ahead. Residents can also talk to their healthcare provider about the Tdap vaccine. For more information, visit www.lpchd.com. 

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 on Tuesdays from 8am-11:30pm and 1pm-4pm 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 9am-11:30 am, Quartzsite Fire Department on the 1st Wednesday of the month from 1pm-3pm, and Salome Substation building near the Fire Department, 1st Thursday of the month from 9:30am-1130am. For more information about vaccinations schedules and clinic times, visit www.lpchd.com/nursing.

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