Vaccinations are cool for staying in school

Putnam County Health Department (PCHD) is collaborating with Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) and the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) to remain committed to ensuring that students are protected against vaccine-preventable disease and stay healthy in school.

In anticipation of the upcoming school year, IDOH is working with the Health Department to increase vaccine expanded access for school-required immunizations this summer. Our goal is to ensure the Putnam County community has access to additional immunization clinics in July and August so that kids have opportunities to be fully vaccinated for the upcoming school year.

Putnam County Health Department will be open for walk-in appointments until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the month of July and the first three weeks in August.

Did you know ... Vaccine-preventable infections that are no longer common in the U.S still occur around the world and that an unvaccinated child can be infected while traveling, or through direct or indirect contact with a traveler.

Did you know ... An unvaccinated child could spread disease to another child who is too young to be vaccinated or to a person whose medical condition prevents them from being vaccinated. This could result in health complications and even death for the other person.

Did you know ... An unvaccinated child may not be protected by “herd” or “community” immunity (i.e., protection that is the result of having most people in a population vaccinated against a disease).

In accordance with Indiana state code, parents have the right to exempt their children from receiving vaccinations based on religious or medical reasons. This, however, can result in vaccine-preventable diseases returning to our communities.

A recent example of this is the large outbreak of measles. In the current measles outbreak across the United States, almost 70 percent of those infected are under 19 years of age. More than 80 percent of those infected in 2024 are unvaccinated. Additionally, children who have not completed the recommended vaccination schedule may be excluded from their childcare facility, school, sport events or other organized activities during disease outbreaks. This could result in parents missing many days of work and their children falling behind in school.

Different vaccines work in different ways, but every vaccine helps the body’s immune system learn how to fight germs. It typically takes a few weeks for protection to develop after vaccination, but that protection can last a lifetime. The Putnam County Health Department is here to help you and your family, call today to schedule an appointment or walk-in to one of our upcoming evening clinics.

We’re putting your health first, Putnam County. This article is one of many in a new series of public health education efforts being made by the Putnam County Health Department. We hope you find this information helpful.

Our office is located at 1542 S Bloomington St., Suite 1500, Greencastle, (located inside the hospital in the medical office building, first door on the right). Regular office hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m-4.pm, closed noon-1 p.m. for lunch. You can contact the office at 653-0203. Visit the website at www.IN.gov/localhealth/putnamcounty or our Facebook page at facebook.com/PCHDIndiana.