As the school year begins, the San Juan Basin Health Department reminds parents to keep children’s vaccines up to date.
Childhood vaccines protect against life-threatening diseases. When children are not vaccinated, they are at increased risk of contracting and spreading diseases to others, including classmates and family members.
Children ages 4 to 6 are due for boosters of four vaccines: DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), chickenpox, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and polio. In addition, yearly flu vaccines are recommended for all children 6 months and older.
Children starting sixth grade need these vaccines: Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), MenACWY (meningococcal conjugate) and HPV (human papillomavirus).
The Vaccines for Children program provides immunizations regardless of the ability to pay.
Children 0-18 years old qualify if they: are Medicaid-eligible, are Native American, have no health insurance or are underinsured.
For questions about the program, call 335-2015. For more information about vaccines, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/index.html.
Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College will conclude its summer lecture series, “A Year in the Life of the West,” at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Lyceum Room, No. 120, at 1000 Rim Drive.
Syl Allred of Northern Arizona University will present her talk, “First Glimpse of a Rugged Land: Tales of an 1851 Expedition.”
She will focus on the Sitgreaves Expedition, which was charged with finding a direct route to California across what was then called the New Mexico Territory.
This military and scientific expedition traversed a dry, jagged, volcanic and unforgiving landscape. Along the 870-mile journey, lasting 86 days, many significant biological, geological and archaeological discoveries were made.
The lecture is free to the public. For more information, visit https://swcenter.fortlewis.edu.
Herald Staff
