MCHD marks National Immunization Awareness Month with a call to action 08-06-26

August 6, 2026

MCHD marks National Immunization Awareness Month with a call to action

MOBILE, Ala. — As families across Mobile County pack backpacks and circle the first day of school on the calendar, the Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) is marking National Immunization Awareness Month with a timely reminder: now is the moment to make sure every shot record is current — for the classroom, and for the respiratory illness season quietly building behind it.

“Back-to-school season and National Immunization Awareness Month landing in the same weeks isn’t just a coincidence we like — it’s an opportunity,” said Kevin Michaels, Health Officer for Mobile County. “A quick visit now to check a shot record can prevent a disrupted school year, a missed practice, or a hospital visit later. We’d much rather see families check this box in August than scramble in October.”

Getting Kids Ready for the Classroom

Alabama law (Code of Alabama 1975, §16-30-4) requires students to present a Certificate of Immunization before entering school. Children entering kindergarten need DTaP, polio, MMR, and varicella vaccines, while students entering 6th grade need a Tdap booster. MCHD encourages parents to confirm their child’s Certificate of Immunization now — well before the first bell rings — to avoid last-minute appointment scrambles or school exclusion notices.

Fall Is Closer Than It Looks

While Mobile is still deep in summer heat, upper respiratory illness season is never far behind. COVID-19, influenza, and RSV historically begin climbing in the Gulf Coast region as early as September, and MCHD is urging residents not to wait until symptoms are already circulating in schools and workplaces to think about protection.

Flu vaccination — decades of evidence.

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older, and the evidence behind that recommendation isn’t new — it’s decades deep. Studies consistently show flu vaccination reduces the risk of infection, protects against onward disease spread, and lowers the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Emerging research adds another layer of urgency: even a mild flu infection has been linked to roughly double the risk of heart attack or stroke in older adults in the weeks following infection — making the flu shot as much a cardiovascular protection tool as a respiratory one.

COVID-19 vaccination — protecting the heart, too.

COVID-19 vaccination carries a similar, often overlooked benefit. Large-scale research, including a study of 46 million adults in England, found that the incidence of heart attacks and strokes dropped following COVID-19 vaccination compared to before or without vaccination. For families managing chronic health conditions, cardiovascular protection is a meaningful reason to stay current.

MCHD’s Ask This August

• Pull your child’s shot record and confirm it meets Alabama’s school-entry requirements before the semester starts
• Ask your health care provider about flu and COVID-19 vaccination timing — protection builds over roughly two weeks, so earlier is better as fall approaches
• Don’t skip it because you feel healthy — vaccination protects not just the individual, but classmates, coworkers, and vulnerable family members
• Talk to your provider if you or a family member has questions about eligibility, timing, or catching up on missed doses

National Immunization Awareness Month is MCHD’s reminder that a few small tasks in August — a checked box on a school form, a scheduled vaccine appointment — carry outsized benefit heading into fall. For vaccine schedules or school-entry requirements, please visit https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/immunization.