Kids still need shots to enroll in school. Golden Valley offered drive-through vaccines
Five-year-old Isaiah Arroyo was not thrilled to be next for vaccines, despite receiving snacks, crayons and a coloring book for the wait at Golden Valley Health Centers’ Turlock Clinic on Thursday.
GVHC hosted drive-through clinics last week to help children catch up on their vaccines, as immunization visits have fallen by about 40% since the start of the pandemic. The clinics were for GVHC patients, but new enrollees were welcome.
Isaiah was out of his car seat and sitting in the front with his mother, Karina Castro, in their SUV, while she talked on the phone with his doctor about the vaccines he needed.
He was slated to start kindergarten at Caswell Elementary School in Ceres, but needed vaccines to enroll.
“I was able to get an appointment here, so I can get him started on kindergarten,” said Castro. “But he’s a little scared.”
The California Department of Public Health states that distance learning has not changed the requirements for immunizations or vaccine record checkpoints at the time of entry into child care, transitional kindergarten or kindergarten and for preteens at seventh grade.
California is one of four states, along with New York, Mississippi and West Virginia, with mandatory vaccination laws for enrollment into school, though all 50 states permit valid medical exemptions to the requirements.
Stanislaus County enjoys one of the highest vaccination rates, 96.5%, in California.
“Some patients are still afraid to come to the clinic,” said Dr. Elaine Soriano, one of the regional medical directors for GVHC. “We don’t want COVID-19 to be a barrier.”
GVHC hosted three vaccination events last week at its clinics in Modesto, Turlock and Merced as part of its celebration of National Health Center Week to get kids caught up on their shots for school.
Soriano said implementing drive-through programs is one of her goals for GVHC patients because it is convenient. GVHC is planning to continue the drive-through clinics once a week at different clinic sites through the fall, and Soriano hopes they will continue after the pandemic.
Liliana Hernandez, clinical supervisor at GVHC, said parents can make an appointment and drive up to check in. A physician will call them on their cell phone for a telehealth visit, while their child’s records and insurance are processed.
For older children, the nurses administer their vaccines while they are in the car. For little ones who need to be held, the team has a “vaccination station” under a tent in the parking lot.
Hernandez said the families like the convenience of not having to go inside the clinic.
Soriano said early in the pandemic, GVHC vaccination visits fell and were starting to recover. However, the recent surge of COVID-19 cases has kept the rates about 60% of normal.
Statewide, only 73% of vaccine doses given in July 2019 were administered in July 2020 to children up to age 18, according to the CDPH.
Nationwide, rates of routine childhood vaccinations have plummeted, stirring fear of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough in the midst of a pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Soriano shares those fears for children who are getting behind on their vaccines, as well as the risk for influenza if the elderly and other vulnerable populations skip going to their doctors.
Isaiah didn’t shed a tear when he received his vaccinations, and was eager to tell his two older siblings about being brave. After a 10-minute observation for any adverse reactions, he was headed off for his favorite ice cream – vanilla swirl.
Soriano said going to a doctor’s appointment is safe and encouraged everyone to get their vaccines.
She said, “Don’t wait, vaccinate!”
Information on vaccinations, including any updates related to the pandemic, are posted on the CDPH ShotsForSchools.org website.
This story was produced with financial support from The Stanislaus County Office of Education and the Stanislaus Community Foundation, along with the GroundTruth Project’s Report for America initiative. The Modesto Bee maintains full editorial control of this work.
