Beat the Back-to-School Rush for Vaccines, Says Oakland County Health Division

The Oakland County Health Division is encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated now to beat the back-to-school rush for vaccines.

The county offers immunizations at its Pontiac and Southfield locations.

“Vaccinations are one of the best ways parents can protect their children from potentially harmful diseases,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said in a recent news release.

Last year, the Health Division gave 57,433 immunizations to Oakland County residents.

“Disease prevention is vital to public health. It’s better to prevent a disease than to treat it,” Kathy Forzley, manager/health officer of the Health Division, said in the release. “Vaccines not only protect the people who receive them but also those with whom they come in contact. Vaccines are responsible for controlling many infectious diseases that were once common in this country and around the world."

Health Division provides school-required vaccinations such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A & B, meningococcal, and varicella, which are required by the State of Michigan for entry to all public and non-public schools.

It also provides human papillomavirus (HPV4), rotavirus, shingles, rabies, seasonal influenza, and pneumonia.

Clinic hours, fees

Clinic hours are 12–8 p.m. Monday and 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Offices are located at 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 34 East in Pontiac, and 27725 Greenfield Road in Southfield.

The cost for each vaccination varies, however clinic visits require a $5 fee per visit, per client. Payment methods include cash, credit card, Medicaid, Medicare, and VFC (Vaccines for Children).

For more information about vaccinations, visit www.oakgov.com/health, contact the Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533, or follow the Health Division on Facebook and Twitter @publichealthOC.

Source: Oakland County Health Division