Bunnell, FL - Healthy school settings keep students in the classroom where they can learn and grow. That's why vaccinations are so important in protecting school-age children from getting sick and spreading diseases to others.

Fortunately for Flagler County residents, parents and caregivers have a variety of options to make sure that children are up-to-date on immunizations. The local health department and school district partner to bring vaccination clinics to schools so students (with parental consent) can be immunized during the school day. Some families have time to take off for pediatrician visits, and others come to the Flagler Health Department in Bunnell for weekday morning walk-in vaccinations. Despite these alternatives, many well-intentioned working parents struggle to meet their children's immunization deadlines each school year.

For this reason, the Florida Department of Health in Flagler County (DOH-Flagler) is expanding its clinical hours one day each month to give working parents additional access to care for their children. Starting May 12, 2020, DOH-Flagler will offer "After School Vaccination Clinics" the second Tuesday of every month from 3:30 to 5:30PM. The department's Woman, Infants and Children (WIC) program will also be open during these hours to better accommodate working families.

Children will be able to receive any required or recommended immunizations at no cost through the federally funded Vaccines for Children program. Sixth grade students will be able to receive the Tdap shot (with parental consent) in April, during in-school clinics. Students can get other adolescent vaccines recommended by the CDC and the American Association of Pediatrics -- Meningococcal, HPV and Influenza -- at the health department. Visit https://immunizefl.com/ for more information.

Aside from the new "After School Vaccination Clinics," DOH-Flagler provides free immunizations for children ages 1 through 18 on a walk-in basis, weekdays from 8:30 to 10:30AM. For further information, please call 386-437-7350 ext. 7088, or visit https://flagler.floridahealth.gov/.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

For information about the Florida Department of Health in Flagler, go to flagler.floridahealth.gov, call 386-437-7350, or visit 301 Dr. Carter Blvd. in Bunnell.