Indiana School Offers Free School Supplies in Exchange for Vaccinations
Children that get immunized receive crayons, pencils and jump drives
Julie Wilson - August 9, 2013
It’s that time of year again, National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). NIAM begins each year in August and acts as a reminder for adults and children to get their recommended vaccines.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls the program, “an opportunity to highlight the need for improving national immunization coverage levels. Activities focus on encouraging all people to protect their health by being immunized against infectious diseases.”
This year some schools are offering students vaccinations and providing free school supplies in return.
A report from WANE-TV says the state of Indiana requires all children to be current on vaccinations prior to enrollment. The Allen County Health Department is offering “free school supplies to school-aged kids who receive an immunization at the health department for the rest of this week and next week.”
The program provides students supplies such as crayons, pencils, highlighters and jump drives to each child that gets immunized.
WANE-TV reports that beginning this school year students in grades kindergarten through 12th are required to have two doses of the chickenpox vaccine, also known as varicella.
Younger children, ages four to six years old are “due” for boosters of four vaccines: DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), Chickenpox, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and Polio.
Children older than six require the following vaccines: Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), MCV (meningococcal conjugate vaccine) and HPV (human papillomavirus) for 11 and 12-year olds.
Annual flu vaccines are also recommended for all children ages six months and older.
The Fort Wayne Allen County Department of Health advertises their program as a two-for-one deal in an attempt to celebrate the “importance of immunizations throughout life.”
Dr. Deborah McMahan, the Allen County Health Commissioner says, “Getting children all of the vaccines recommended by CDC’s immunization schedule is one of the most important things parents can do to protect their children’s health – and that of classmates and the community.
“If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to check with your doctor to find out what vaccines your child needs.”
The state’s website says, “When children are not vaccinated, they are at increased risk and can spread diseases to others in their classrooms and community – including babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated, and people with weakened immune systems due to cancer and other health conditions.”
The hazards of vaccines, including the infamous flu vaccine, have been proven to be dangerous and even crippling for some.
According to a June report published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, the seasonal trivalent flu vaccine results in 5.5 times more incidents of respiratory illness.
The study not only found the flu vaccine to be ineffective, but recipients who received the vaccine were more likely to contract other diseases such as rhinovirus (the common cold) and coxsackievirus and echovirus, which are known to cause meningitis, paralysis, hepatitis and even heart disorders.
Also important to note, the “act of injecting antigens probably damages the innate cell-mediated immune response, the part of the immune system that protects without the need of resorting to development of antibodies.”
Some of you may remember when CNN host Piers Morgan took the plunge and decided to let Dr. Oz administer the flu vaccine on air to dispel the myth that you can contract the flu after receiving the vaccine, only to come down with the flu shortly after.
Despite Piers’ admission to “feeling under-the-weather” and having a “sore throat,” the host quickly brushed off the advice of guest Dwight Yoakam, when he advised Piers to avoid flu vaccines in the future.
