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Statewide School Vaccine Push Under Way

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Florida Department of Health is kicking off a series of events across the state where students can get immunizations needed for school – for free.

In the first of dozens of events statewide hosted by the Florida Department of Health offering free immunizations for students, the third floor of the Orange County School’s administration building was packed Tuesday with dozens of parents and students waiting patiently for their shot in the arm.

“We have vaccine preventable diseases in this country. We have had outbreaks, such as the measles outbreak in California,” said Dr. Kevin Sherin, the director of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County. “We’re very concerned that ALL children have access to vaccines.”

In Florida, children going into kindergarten and seventh grade need proof of immunizations.

The push is to get more students immunized before the mad rush before school, and health officials are urging parents not to wait until the last minute.

Abe Aboraya is a reporter with  WMFE in Orlando. WMFE is a partner with  Health News Florida, which receives support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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Health News Florida reporter Abe Aboraya works for WMFE in Orlando. He started writing for newspapers in high school. After graduating from the University of Central Florida in 2007, he spent a year traveling and working as a freelance reporter for the Seattle Times and the Seattle Weekly, and working for local news websites in the San Francisco Bay area. Most recently Abe worked as a reporter for the Orlando Business Journal. He comes from a family of health care workers.
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