The Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health reminds parents that children can receive free vaccines this weekend. Since school begins next week for many parishes, the LDH/OPH Shots for Tots program, a no-cost immunization effort is taking place statewide so children can return to the classroom up-to-date on the necessary vaccines.
The immunization effort continues the mission of the Shots for Tots program, which is to have every Louisiana child up-to-date on his or her immunizations by age one.
This concentrated effort is set to begin Thursday, Aug. 5 and will continue through Saturday, Aug. 7, in parish health units across the state, as well as in partner clinics in some areas of the state. While children are the primary focus of the program, older children and adults can receive free tetanus vaccines during the three days of the immunization program.
The program is being sponsored through a biopreparedness grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Domino’s Pizza has partnered with the Shots for Tots program to promote the immunization effort. Domino’s will provide FREE pizza and CinnaStix cards at participating immunization locations. Domino’s also will provide information about the free immunizations and clinic times and locations on pizza box tops at stores throughout Louisiana.
Times for the immunizations are as follows:
Thursday, Aug. 5 --- Noon until 8 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 6 --- 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 7 --- 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.
During the three days of the program, parents may bring children to parish health units and clinics across the state to get their immunizations without an appointment (unless otherwise noted.) Parents should bring their children’s shot records to the immunization clinic.
To find out where free vaccines are offered in your area, please contact your parish health unit. A list of health units is available at http://www.oph.dhh.state.la.us/ophregions/index.html.