LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS PARTNER TO SUPPORT BACK TO SCHOOL IMMUNIZATIONS

August 12, 2020

Media Contact: Samara Lott, Population Health Planning and Improvement Coordinator, Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts – Samara.Lott@vdh.virginia.gov

LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS PARTNER TO SUPPORT BACK TO SCHOOL IMMUNIZATIONS

(ROANOKE, Virginia) – The Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts are collaborating with community organizations to provide back to school immunizations for children.

The Roanoke City Health Department and Bradley Free Clinic will host a drive-thru clinic on Saturday, August 15, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Roanoke City Health Department (Civic Mall, 1502 Williamson Road in Roanoke). No appointment is needed. Vaccines are provided at no cost, but if you have insurance, please bring your insurance card. If you have your child’s vaccine record, please bring it as well.

(Note: The immunization event previously scheduled for August 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bradley Free Clinic is canceled, and is being combined with the August 15 event at the Roanoke City Health Department.)

“We need to do everything in our power to ensure our children are as healthy and protected as possible as they return to school this fall,” said Jerryann West, public health nurse supervisor for the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts. “All children need to be vaccinated, regardless if they are returning to school in-person or virtually.”

The health districts have collaborated to provide past immunization clinics with G. Wayne Fralin Free Clinic for the Homeless. Future collaborative clinics are planned with the Bradley Free Clinic (540-344-5156) and New Horizons Healthcare (540-362-0360), to provide a variety of opportunities and events for families to get their children vaccinated. Call to schedule an appointment.

“We want all of our children to start school on time, healthy, and safe. Our state data shows that many children missed well visits and vaccines during the stay at home order, and we anticipate we have a greater-than-usual number of children who still need vaccines,” said Molly O’Dell, director of communicable disease for the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts. “We invite parents to arrange for their children to get the needed vaccines as soon as possible.”

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/RoanokeCityAlleghanyHealthDistricts or call ​540-283-5050.