TYLER, Texas —
As the fall school year approaches, the Northeast Texas Public Health District is giving students the opportunity to receive immunizations through “Health on Wheels.”
“It's just the convenience of parents being able to bring their kids to the school their kids are going to attend next school year,” Terrence Ates, PIO of NET Health said. “It's a one stop shop for all the families.”
Its goal is to get as many students vaccinated ahead of the fall semester.
“We actually want to do this during the summertime because of COVID-19 guidelines,” Ates said. “It's going to be difficult for us to have families physically coming into our lobby for social distancing reasons. So we want to take the vaccines to the school district and to a city, to get as many kids vaccinated as early as possible.”
NET Health received the donated mobile coach from Carter BloodCare and customized the vehicle to provide public health services directly to cities and communities throughout northeast Texas.
"Health On Wheels" made its first stop at Bullard High School on Tuesday.
It made another stop at Chapel Hill High School on Wednesday.
Vaccines are available to any student from any school district, and Meningitis vaccines will also be available for any student planning to attend college this fall.
Vaccinations are free to the public.
"Vaccinations are one of the best ways for our community to protect our infants, children, adolescents and adults against vaccine-preventable diseases," says Sylvia Warren, Director of the NET Health Immunizations Clinic.
Families planning to come will need to make sure they wear a face covering, and parents are encouraged to bring their child's vaccine records.
NET Health is still working on make a schedule for the remainder of the summer.