Back-to-school immunizations

Help your kids stay healthy during the school year

As the summer winds down, we’ll be gearing up to send our kids back to school. When getting your kids ready for the new school year, make sure that they are all caught up on necessary vaccines so they can stay healthy and focused on learning. Getting vaccines is an important part of your child's overall health and helps keep your child and your family healthy.

Key vaccines 

It’s important that kids get recommended vaccines at specific ages so they are protected before they are exposed to diseases. This childhood vaccine schedule from the CDC shows a timeline of when kids should get certain vaccines, and it’s a good resource for you to review with your doctor.

Here are some of the important vaccines that kids should get at the right time:

• Acellular pertussis
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• Diphtheria
• Haemophilus influenzae B
• Hepatitis B
• Influenza
• Measles
• Mumps
• Pneumococcal (pneumonia)
• Poliomyelitis (polio)
• Rotavirus
• Rubella
• Tetanus
• Varicella (chicken pox)
• Hepatitis A
• Meningococcal
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• Zoster

Preventive vaccines are covered at no extra cost to you as part of your Blue Cross of Idaho preventive care benefits.

If you want to review your child's vaccination record, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has infromation on how you can access and share it.

Practice good hygiene

In addition to helping your kids stay healthy by getting routine vaccines, it’s important to remind them to practice good hygiene. Germs can be spread in many ways, so make sure kids know how they can keep from getting sick.

Here are a few simple things your kids can do through the day to stay healthy:

• Wash their hands with soap and water for a full 20 seconds
• Avoid touching their face, especially around the eyes, nose and mouth
• Cough or sneeze into their elbow to avoid spreading germs

If your kids are feeling sick, they should stay home so they can rest and recover without getting anyone else sick.

Schedule an appointment

Call your child's doctor and set up an appointment to make sure your child is up to date on current vaccines. If you don't have a doctor for your child, you can find one by logging in to your member account at members.bcidaho.com and selecting Find Care. From there you can filter your results by location, specialty type and more.

More information

If you’re looking for more information on vaccines, visit the CDC’s vaccines and immunizations page. For more information on preventive vaccines that are covered by Blue Cross of Idaho, visit our preventive care services page.

Posted: August 20, 2021

Updated: July 25, 2023