Schools want parents to make sure children are up to date on vaccines

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — In Arkansas, children who attend both public and private schools are mandated to receive routine vaccinations.

With only two weeks before most schools begin, local schools are urging parents to make sure their children are up to date.

Melissa Alderson, Director of Health Services at Fayetteville Public Schools says after a long summer break, students head back to school, and then sickness starts to spread.

“When students come back together or they’re excited to spend time together, and we see an increase in stomach viruses. We see an increase in strep throat,” said Alderson.

Alderson says this is exactly why Arkansas requires children attending school to get their shots.

“It’s very important that parents get out and vaccinate their students. And the science continues to show the importance and the efficacy of these vaccines. And so, the state has mandated these vaccines,” said Alderson.

The Arkansas Department of Health requires students in K-12 to receive immunizations for illnesses like measles, tetanus, hepatitis A and B and chickenpox.

Blake Hansen is a family physician and owner of Simplified Health in Rogers. He says sickness can spread quickly without the protection offered by vaccines.

“It wouldn’t take much time at all. If you have one sick person among 1,000 people, there would be pretty significant domino. You could see a good portion of the school looking ill within two weeks,” said Hansen.

One illness Hansen says he wouldn’t be surprised to see a spike in is COVID-19.

“In recent years past, we’ve seen some COVID illnesses kind of spike around the return to school. Certainly, that’s always at play,” said Hansen.

Alderson says the Fayetteville School District has no plans to implement any COVID-19 mandates, but that keeping up with your vaccines is important during this time.

“We have guidelines, and we will continue to educate on those guidelines when asked. We do see cases of COVID, it’s not going away, just like we still see cases of flu and other and other diseases and illnesses,” said Alderson.

The state of Arkansas does allow a 30-day grace period for vaccines after the school start date.

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