Media Release

Contact: Kelly Nettnin 252.475.5036 kellyn@darenc.com

For Immediate Release: 8/15/2012

August is an exciting time on the Outer Banks. As residents begin to prepare for back to school, traffic begins to slow down and some are looking forward to our days becoming more structured. Not only is August known for back to school preparations, it is also nationally recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month. While you are gathering up your school supplies, the Dare County Department of Public Health advises you to ensure you and your families' vaccinations are up to date.

Some vaccinations are required before children can enter school for the 1st time. Below are the requirements:

• DTap (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis - 5 doses (the last dose after age 4)
• Polio - 4 doses
• Hib (haemophilus influenza type B) - 3-4 doses (not required for children over 5)
• Measles - 2 doses
• Rubella - 1 dose
• Hepatitis B -3 doses
• Vericella (chickenpox) - 1 dose (not required if there is a disease history)

6th grade entry also requires kids to have a booster dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis).

While you may vaccinate to ensure your child can attend school, it is important to understand the significance of immunization. Vaccinations have been named one of the top ten achievements of public health because not only do they protect from disease, but over time may eliminate it. The past decade has seen substantial declines in cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and health-care costs associated with vaccine-preventable diseases.

A vaccine preventable disease, Pertussis, has been on the rise in NC with over 180 cases so far, this is nearly 3 times the average for an entire year. Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a bacterial infection that often starts with typical cold symptoms and over 1-2 weeks, usually develops into prolonged bursts of coughing, often with a whooping noise at the end. This recent outbreak illustrates the importance of the Tdap vaccination and boosters for children and adults. In response to the increase in whooping cough cases, for a limited time, the Tdap vaccine is available to anyone at no cost.

While your focus might be on your children, remember Adults should also maintain their vaccinations. For a complete list of recommended vaccinations for your age group please visit cdc.gov website

For questions or more information on vaccinations, please contact the Dare County Department of Public Health's Community and Clinical Services Division at 252.475.5003 or visit cdc.gov website.