As you welcome new and returning children to your center this fall, make sure they are up to date on their routine vaccines so they can stay healthy and ready to play and learn.

We encourage you to:

• Ensure that all staff who check immunizations watch the training modules and are familiar with staff resources on the ShotsforSchool.org website to fully understand the immunization requirements for childcare. Resources are also available in Spanish.
  
• Remind families that their children need to meet immunization requirements before starting school and as they age into new requirements. Share the Parents’ Guide to Immunizations | Spanish | Arabic | Armenian | Cambodian | Chinese (Simplified) | Farsi | Hmong | Korean | Russian | Tagalog | Vietnamese.
  
• Use these templates to let families know which vaccines their children need: Letter to Parents: Immunizations Needed | Spanish | Arabic | Armenian | Cambodian | Chinese (Simplified) | Farsi | Hindi | Hmong | Japanese | Korean | Punjabi | Russian | Thai | Tagalog | Ukrainian | Vietnamese.
  
• Tailor these robocall scripts or email templates to encourage families to make an appointment with their child’s doctor now to get up to date with all recommended immunizations. This includes updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 and flu vaccines (once available) for children six months of age and older.
  
• Inform families that they can now request access to their children’s Digital Vaccine Record to share as proof of immunization. Staff can also use SCRL to determine which children are up to date, conditional, or overdue for required immunizations.

Additional Resources: 

• Communicating about School Immunization Requirements
• Immunization Info and Timing brochure for Parents | Spanish 
• “Protect Against Flu and Whooping Cough” poster | Spanish
• Local Health Department Immunization Program Contact Information
• Early Care and Education Toolkit (Public Health Foundation)
• Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program: Information for Parents (CDC)