A guide to back-to-school vaccines | Blog | Oscar | hioscar Blog | Oscar
A guide to back-to-school vaccines
What are the necessary vaccines for school?
General Health
4 min read
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What are the necessary vaccines for school?
Vaccines are essential for protecting children from serious diseases. By following the recommended vaccine schedule, you can help keep your child healthy and safe. The vaccine schedule (opens in new tab) for school aged children in the U.S. is determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s recommended that all children entering school receive the following vaccines:
The CDC also recommends that all children get a yearly flu vaccine, regardless of whether they are attending school. The flu vaccine is especially important for children with chronic health conditions, such as asthma or heart disease.
It is important to talk to your child's doctor about which vaccines are right for your child, as well as consulting the school vaccines requirements in your state (opens in new tab). In addition to the vaccines listed above, some schools may also require children to receive other vaccines, such as the meningococcal vaccine or the pneumococcal vaccine.
What are the benefits of vaccines?
Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to prevent infectious diseases. They work by exposing the body to a weakened or inactive form of a virus or bacteria, which helps the body develop immunity to the disease. Benefits for vaccinating children include:
Protection from serious disease: Vaccines protect against diseases that can cause long-term health problems, like disabilities or even death. For example, Mumps can cause meningitis, which can be deadly, and polio can cause paralysis.
Reduced transmission of disease: Vaccines can help reduce the transmission of disease from person to person which can protect the vaccinated child, but also those around them who may be more vulnerable with weakened immune systems.
Immunization can protect future generations: Vaccines have, “reduced and, in some cases eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled people just a few generations ago,” according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (opens in new tab). For example, by vaccinating kids against rubella, birth defects associated with the virus are no longer seen in the U.S. as pregnant women no longer pass it to their fetus.
What are vaccine side effects?
Vaccines are an important part of disease prevention in children. Like medicine, vaccines can have some side effects, which are typically mild, and short-lasting. The benefits of vaccines outweigh the side effects, which can include:
Redness or swelling at injection site: most common side effect, as it’s usually mild and goes away on its own
Fever: sometimes a mild fever can occur, but usually goes away on its own within a few days of injection
Tiredness or irritability: your child may experience one or both of these after getting a vaccine
The benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks;vaccines are safe and effective. If you have questions or concerns about vaccine safety for your child, talk to your healthcare provider.
Where can I find a provider near me for my child’s vaccinations?
If you’re an Oscar member and need help finding a doctor, want to review what’s covered by your plan, or need to take a virtual urgent care visit, just call your Oscar Care team. They can help you compile a list of questions to ask your doctor and avoid common mistakes. Give us a call at 855-672-2755, or message us in the Oscar app (opens in new tab).
If you’re not an Oscar member and need to see a doctor urgently due to a serious heat-related illness, we recommend going to a local urgent care clinic or emergency room immediately.
**For 2023, Oscar Primary Care is available in TX (excluding Secure plans), NY (excluding Standard Silver, Standard Bronze, and Secure plans), FL, Palm Beach, Miami Dade, and Broward (excluding HSA and Secure plans), AZ (excluding HSA and Secure plans), GA (excluding HSA and Secure plans) Oscar Primary Care providers are employed by Oscar Medical Group, not Oscar Insurance Company or its insurance plan affiliates. Oscar Primary Care is only available to members 18 years of age and older. Prescriptions, visits and services may be limited at the provider's discretion and Oscar Primary Care is not intended to be used in conjunction with another primary care consultation. Oscar Care in-person visits in conjunction with your virtual visit may have a copayment. Due to medical licensing laws, you must be in your home state at the time of your virtual visit. Oscar’s Virtual Urgent Care offerings are not available in US territories or internationally. If you have an HSA-compatible high-deductible health plan or a Secure plan, you won't be eligible for $0 visits. Prescriptions, visits and services may be limited per provider discretion.
