Tag: code of virginia

Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Encourage Parents and Caregivers to Schedule Appointments for Children’s School-Required Vaccines

June 22, 2026

Media Contact: Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov

 

Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Encourage Parents and Caregivers to Schedule Appointments for Children’s School-Required Vaccines

 

RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) encourage parents and caregivers to schedule school-required vaccination appointments as soon as possible. Primary care physicians, community partners, and RHHD provide these vaccinations. It may be more challenging to secure an appointment closer to the start of the school year.

Vaccines are safe, effective and the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious diseases like measles. As of June 22, 2026, Virginia has seen 129 cases of measles, including 107 cases in the Central Region. Unvaccinated people accounted for 95% of all measles cases in Virginia in 2026. There were five measles cases in Virginia in all of 2025. Two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles.

“Keeping children up to date on their vaccinations means they have a better chance to stay healthy for summer fun and start school on time in the fall,” said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Director Elaine Perry, M.D. “Avoid the rush and schedule an appointment today for your child to receive their school-required vaccinations.”

Virginia School Immunization Requirements

The Code of Virginia requires children entering daycare, public and private schools to give proof of vaccination before enrolling in school. Virginia schools require immunizations for entry into kindergarten, seventh grade, and 12th grade. These vaccines should be given based on the schedule recommended by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Vaccines may also be required for work and other activities.

Virginia residents can securely access their vaccination records through confidential electronic portals managed by VDH.

Scheduling a Vaccination Appointment

Families can schedule appointments for school-required vaccines through their primary care provider, local pharmacies, urgent care facilities, community partners, and RHHD clinics. Parents and caregivers can visit rhhd.gov/childhoodvax for more information about scheduling childhood vaccine appointments. For help finding a local primary care provider, visit rhhd.gov/connect-pc.

Virginia Vaccines for Children (VVFC) providers offer no-cost vaccines to children (younger than 19 years of age) who are uninsured or underinsured; Medicaid-eligible or Medicaid-enrolled; and/or American Indian or Alaska Native. Search for a VVFC provider near you by using rhhd.gov/vfc.

RHHD offers vaccination appointments for children and adults at its Cary Street (804-205-3500), Henrico East (804-652-3190) and Henrico West (804-501-4001) clinics. Bilingual-in-Spanish staff is available at all locations.

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Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Encourage Parents and Caregivers to Schedule Appointments for Children’s School-Required Vaccines

August 13, 2025

Media Contact: Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov

Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Encourage Parents and Caregivers to Schedule Appointments for Children’s School-Required Vaccines
August is National Immunization Awareness Month

 RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) encourage parents and caregivers to access their children’s immunization (vaccine) records and schedule vaccination appointments with their primary care physician, a community partner or with RHHD. Vaccines are safe, effective and the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from certain diseases. Vaccines may be required for work, school, travel or other activities.

The Code of Virginia requires children entering daycare, public and private schools to give proof of vaccination before enrolling in school. These vaccines should be given based on the schedule recommended by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians. Parents and guardians can view the Virginia childhood vaccine schedule on this PDF.

“Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools we have to protect our little ones from some serious diseases,” said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Nurse Manager Sarah Widmer. “Now is a great time to make sure your child has the vaccinations they need to start school on time and stay safe. VDH’s new vaccination record portals make finding your family’s information quick and easy. Knowing your child’s vaccination history helps you and your doctor keep them on track with their vaccines.”

Virginia residents can now securely access their vaccination records through confidential electronic portals managed by Virginia Department of Health (VDH). These portals allow you to view, download, and print vaccination records from a home computer or a mobile device. Records of vaccinations given many years ago or outside of Virginia may not be available in VDH portals.

Knowing your vaccination history can help you and your doctor make informed decisions about future vaccinations for your family. Visit rhhd.gov/connect-pc to find a local primary care provider with available vaccination appointments.

Virginia Vaccines for Children (VVFC) providers offer no-cost vaccines to children (younger than 19 years of age) who are uninsured or underinsured; Medicaid-eligible or Medicaid-enrolled; and/or American Indian or Alaska Native. Search for a VVFC provider near you by using rhhd.gov/vfc.

RHHD offers vaccination appointments for children and adults at its Cary Street, Henrico East and Henrico West clinics. Call 804-205-3500 to make an appointment. Bilingual-in-Spanish staff is available at all locations.

Pregnant people and family and caregivers of newborns need vaccinations to protect babies from certain diseases. Virginia Vaccines for Adults (VVFA) providers offer no-cost vaccinations to adults who are uninsured or underinsured. People receiving VVFA vaccinations may be required to pay an admin fee, usually between $10 and $20. Search for a VVFA provider near you by using rhhd.gov/vfa.

National Immunization Awareness Month is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.

For more health and safety information, follow RHHD on Instagram at @richmondcity_hd and on Facebook, visit rhhd.gov and sign up for RHHD’s monthly newsletter at rhhd.gov/news.

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Rabies Case Confirmed In Botetourt County

February 17, 2023

For more information, contact:
Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD)
Environmental Health Division 540-204-9928

TROUTVILLE, Va. – Health officials have confirmed the presence of rabies in the area of Mountain Pass Road, Troutville. A skunk was confirmed positive for rabies by the Virginia Department of Health on February 16.

Please contact the RCAHD Environmental Health Division or the Botetourt County Animal Control if you know of any possible human or animal contact with this skunk. Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. It is preventable in domestic animals through vaccinations but is fatal to both animals and humans if left untreated. Exposure to rabies is considered:

  • any time a bite or scratch (or other circumstance) allows saliva or central nervous system tissue from a potentially rabid animal to enter an open, fresh wound.
  • when rabid tissue enters a mucous membrane via the eye, mouth, or nose.

The Code of Virginia §3.2-6521 requires pet owners to maintain current rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats aged four months and older. Citizens should not approach or touch any wild or stray animals and should report any abnormal animal behavior to their local animal control dispatcher. All animal bites and rabies exposures (from wild and domestic animals) must be reported to the RCAHD Environmental Health Division at 540-204-9764.

To help prevent the spread of rabies, everyone should:

  • AVOID contact with wild animals and domestic animals you do not know.
  • REPORT unusual-acting animals.
  • VACCINATE your dogs, cats, and ferrets, and keep their vaccinations current.
  • CALL your doctor and the local health department if you are exposed to an animal with rabies. Call your veterinarian and local animal control if your pet is exposed to an animal with rabies.