ECDOH, Fidelis Care encourage parents & caregivers to keep children up to date with required immunizations

Submitted by the Erie County Department of Health

The Erie County Department of Health and Fidelis Care are encouraging parents and caregivers to keep their children up to date with required immunizations.

New York state requires certain immunizations for school attendance. Children who are missing required immunizations can expect to be excluded from school and child care settings, causing a loss of learning time and major disruptions to family schedules. Children who are missing vaccines can also be at risk for vaccine-preventable illnesses, and can put others in their household at risk. There are health insurance options for children and families who are currently uninsured or underinsured.

“Well child visits are an important way for pediatricians to check on a child’s physical development, and to address any parents’ and caregivers’ concerns about their child’s growth and what to expect,” Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein said. “Diseases like measles, mumps, polio and chicken pox used to quite frequently cause severe disease, lifelong complications and even death. These are now very rarely seen – all because of widespread, safe and effective immunization campaigns that have prevented illness in generations of children and their families.”

“One of the best ways parents and guardians can help keep children healthy is by taking them to their pediatrician for their annual exam,” said Dr. Lisa Moreno, Fidelis Care pediatrician. “Annual well visits allow pediatricians to closely monitor children’s overall health and development from birth to adolescence. Through regular physical examinations, vaccinations and screenings, pediatricians can address concerns and ensure children’s best chance for a healthy future.”

ECDOH strongly encourages parents to get their children vaccinated with their pediatrician or family medicine physician. The Erie County Immunization Clinic is able to vaccine children who are eligible for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, and can accept commercial insurance. Children are eligible for the VFC program if they are younger than 19 years of age and Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured and/or an American Indian or Alaska Native. Call 716-858-7687 for an appointment or for information about scheduled clinics.

For more:

√ American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Why immunize your child?

√ AAP, Vaccine Safety: Get the Facts 

√ AAP, Vaccine Safety: Examine the Evidence

√ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Diseases and the Vaccines that Prevent Them

Fidelis Care is a mission-driven health plan offering quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life. With more than 2.6 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance. Follow us on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/fideliscare, on Twitter at @fideliscare, Instagram at @fideliscare, and on Facebook at facebook.com/fideliscare. For more information, call Fidelis Care at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.