Opinion: Getting area students “school ready” should start now

Before you know it, the new school year will be upon us, so now is the perfect time to start setting your families up for success. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 160 million school days are lost yearly due to infectious illnesses. Absenteeism can cause stress to families, schools and students on many fronts. Vaccinations are a vital component of what you can do to reduce the likelihood of several illnesses.

While summer is a time for camps, sports, vacations and family, ensuring your child has the necessary health records and immunizations before school starts is essential. Virginia requires all children entering daycare, public and private schools to give proof of vaccination before entering daycare, kindergarten, seventh and 12th grades, so you want to start scheduling those pediatric medical and dental appointments now.

A concerning statistic is pediatric immunization rates, which reached as high as 98% in 2008 but dropped sharply during the pandemic to the point where we are seeing the reemergence of previous vaccine-preventable infections. These immunizations protect your child and prevent the spread of serious communicable diseases, such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles and more.

The immunization schedules are based on CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians recommendations. Students can receive vaccines from healthcare providers or local health departments prior to school entry. For seventh graders, vaccines include a two-shot HPV vaccination series that can prevent six types of cancer, including cervical cancer. Parents who elect to have their child receive the HPV vaccination now will be doing them an excellent service later in life.

In addition, given last year’s earlier-than-usual flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season, please consider getting a flu shot early in the fall rather than waiting.

Feel free to talk to your school or visit the Virginia Department of Health’s web resource at vdh.virginia.gov/backtoschool to determine which immunizations and health care services your child may need for school entrance and sports physical requirements. Please note that children who do not meet the vaccination requirements risk not being able to start on time.

Physical activity, social support, school family, positive encouragement and a supportive environment all contribute to a healthy mind and overall health. Coming out of the pandemic, this is truer than ever.

A 2021 study by Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission found significant mental health issues prevalent in Virginia middle and high school students. Fifty percent of Virginia middle school and 65% of high school students reported anxiety or nervousness. And 39% of Virginia middle school students and 53% of high school students reported they experience uncontrollable worry. Many suffer quietly, so please have emotional wellness check conversations with your children and if you have questions or need resources, call or text 988 or talk to your health care provider.

Lastly, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of excellent hand hygiene practices. The CDC says handwashing can help reduce the spread of diarrheal and respiratory illnesses. It can reduce the number of missed school days due to infectious illnesses.

I saw this firsthand when starting a hand hygiene campaign with five second-grade classes at a Virginia Beach public school pre-pandemic during peak winter respiratory season. Staff educated 90 students on proper hand hygiene techniques. The children participating in the education saw a sizable 71% decrease in illness-related absences. In the 30 days before the training, there were 126 absences; after, there were only 37 absences. You’ll likely reduce or eliminate seasonal illnesses by reminding your children to wash their hands regularly and reinforcing proper hand hygiene.

Getting up to date on immunizations early, performing emotional wellness checks, and reinforcing healthy hand washing will set your child up for success by reducing illnesses and helping them be more present in school. These are small steps that can reap big dividends.

Dr. Kavita Imrit-Thomas is public health director for the Virginia Department of Health’s Portsmouth Health District.

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