July 14, 2021

Back-to-school immunizations still available at Family Health sites

MOBILE, Ala. — Time is running out for local students to get their school immunizations prior to the start of classes. The Mobile County Public School System gets under way on Wednesday, August 11, while other public and private school systems soon follow.

Alabama’s School Immunization Law Section 16-30-4 states each student enrolled in day care, Head Start, and public or private schools has a valid Certificate of Immunization (COI) — previously known as “blue cards” — or a Religious Exemption Form on file at the facility they attend.

State of Alabama School Rules Chapter 420-6-1 (1) states the COI will be on a form approved by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), which is the one printed from ImmPRINT (Immunization Patient Resources with Integrated Technology). All required vaccines must be recorded before the COI can be submitted to the schools.

The Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) and its primary care division — Family Health — are offering immunizations to students at all its health centers conveniently located throughout Mobile County. This allows clients to save time by avoiding the longer lines that can occur at the main facility in Downtown Mobile. For a list of all locations or operating times, please visit https://mchd.org/family-health/#locations.

Patients who receive their vaccinations through Family Health will receive the up-to-date COI at no charge.

All non-Family Health patients will be charged an administration fee of $10 per patient to receive an up-to-date COI. If vaccines are not up-to-date, parents or guardians should follow-up with their primary care provider or schedule an appointment at one of the Family Health’s clinics by calling 251-690-8889.

Clients not receiving services through Family Health will be charged a one-time administration fee of $30 per patient if requesting Family Health to enter immunizations into ImmPRINT from other states to generate an Alabama COI.

Individuals requesting a Religious Exemption must submit a Statement of Intent. Religious Exemptions will be offered each Wednesday from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3 p.m. in Building 4-5 at the Keeler Memorial Complex (251 North Bayou Street in Mobile). A first-come, first-served format will be followed. Only a limited number of individuals will be allowed in the building because of COVID-19. Religious Exemptions are not offered to college age students or adults. Call 251-690-8175 or 251-690-8970 for additional information.

Students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to in-person instruction in the fall is a priority. Although the COVID-19 vaccine is not among those required for students in the state of Alabama, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) stated on July 9 that vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the pandemic. The Pfizer mRNA vaccine is approved for those 12 years of age and older. A list of vaccine opportunities in Mobile County can be found by calling 251-410-MCHD (6243) or by visiting www.MCHDcares.com.