Vaccines and Immunizations
Vaccines are one of our most important tools for preventing the spread of disease. The health department's immunization program wants to make sure every adult and child receives the vaccines they need. This information has been gathered to help you learn more about our program. Please call your local health department for questions about vaccine availability and cost.
Health department vaccines and immunizations are available by appointment only.
You can make an appointment by calling us or visiting our offices.
School Required Vaccines
There are required immunizations for Virginia schools and day cares. Certain vaccines are required for children at different ages according to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP's) current harmonized schedule. New vaccines are added to the schedule as they become available, and are required to help protect children from infectious diseases.
Your health department is able to work with you to make sure the necessary vaccines are administered and documented for your child. Many of the required vaccines for school-aged children can be obtained free of charge.
If cost is a barrier to getting your children vaccinated, they may qualify for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. If you're interested in enrolling in the program, click here.
You can always contact your local health department to learn more about our vaccines for children program.
In-School Vaccine Clinics
Every year in the spring, CSHD visits middle and high schools in our community to administer required vaccines for students for the following school year. These in-school clinics are held for the convenience of students and their parents, as the parent does not need to be physically present while vaccines are administered as long as the child turns in a signed consent form.
In order to participate in these clinics, students must attend a school where a clinic is scheduled, and their parent/guardian needs to sign a consent form to be turned in to their child's school.
You can download the consent forms below:
Childhood Immunizations Toolkit
Community partners can download this toolkit here - Childhood Immunizations Toolkit
How They Work
Vaccines work with your body to strengthen the immune system and build up immunity to disease and infections. By imitating infections, the immune system can develop the same response it would to a real infection, without making an individual sick. This allows the body to fight the vaccine-prevented disease in the future and protects from the continued spreading of disease.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcftgu1Dwk4
Travel Immunizations
Many people travel to other countries for work, school, or vacation. There are routine, recommended, and required vaccines depending on where you will be traveling. Your health department can help provide you with information and recommendations 4 to 6 months before your trip as well as get you the vaccines you need. More information can be found on the CDC's Travelers' Health webpage.
Clinics are available at the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Health Department! Call HRHD directly, or your local health department office, to make an appointment.
Impact of Vaccinations
Vaccinations help diseases become rare. Diseases like polio and diphtheria are becoming rare in the US because they are continuously vaccinated against. As long as people continue to vaccinate, other diseases should follow this trend. If we stop vaccinating, diseases that once had a low incidence rate will increase, resulting in more people with the disease.
Ensuring that you and your family are properly vaccinated protects you now and in the future. Vaccinations help children grow into strong individuals free of preventable disease and ensure the best life possible. There is value investing in vaccines.
Online Resources
- VDH School Required Immunizations
- CDC Vaccines & Immunizations
- Immunization Schedule
- VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) - Report an adverse reaction to a vaccine
- CDC Travel Notices
- Vaccinate Your Family Website