Free immunizations offered ahead of first day of school

Sniffles, sneezes, coughs and colds. Rio Rancho Public Schools (RRPS) is urging parents and guardians to take advantage of the free immunization clinics offered through the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) taking place right now in Sandoval County in advance of the first day of school, Aug. 6.

Clinics are taking place until Aug. 17 in locations across Sandoval County, including Cuba Health Center, PMS Ojo Encino Medical Clinic, PMS Counselor Clinic, PMS Cuba School Based Health Clinic, PMS Torreon Clinic, El Pueblo Health Services, and Sandoval County Health Commons. According to the UNM Health Sciences website, which is helping promote the clinics, “Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are greatly appreciated.”

Before each school year, all 17,000 RRPS students at all 21 schools in the district must be up to date on their immunizations or provide an exemption form. Vaccinations are required for illnesses including tetanus, polio, measles (one of the most contagious diseases in the world,according to the Centers for Disease Control), mumps, various kinds of hepatitis, and several more. Beth Pendergrass, RRPS chief communications, strategy, and engagement officer, told the Observer through email that these free clinics are paramount to providing a safe environment for every student and RRPS felt it was important to help get the word out.

“We shared the information as it provides free immunizations for our students, which contributes to the overall health and safety of our students and staff as we start school again in just a couple of weeks,” said Pendergrass.

In a 2022 report from the National Survey for Child Health, the watchdog group found that, in the United States, more than “two-thirds of children missed at least one day of school for illness or injury in the previous year, and about half of those students were absent 1-3 days.”

A new school year means fun and learning for the kids, but it means paperwork and scheduling for the parents. A full list of required vaccinations/immunizations, exemption forms and other paperwork can be found on the RRPS and the NMDOH websites.