Frederiksted Health Care, Inc. (FHC) will host a Community Back-to-School Health Extravaganza on Aug. 3 at our Ingeborg Nesbitt Clinic on the Waterfront in Frederiksted. The event will be held between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. There will be food, entertainment, and music for the children, as well as other great surprises, the agency announced.
It is the community’s responsibility to protect its children against any harm. Childhood vaccinations can greatly improve the children’s immune system, giving them a better chance to fend off dangerous diseases such as measles, meningitis, mumps, HPV, chickenpox, and whooping cough, just to name a few, according to the press release.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, vaccines created 30 years ago used 3,000 antigens to protect against eight diseases by the age of two, whereas vaccines created today only used 305 antigens to protect against disease by the age of two (CDC, 2022). This is due to scientific advances. Children are exposed to different germs throughout the day within their environment through the foods they consume, the things they touch, and the air they breathe. The use of vaccines helps us ensure our little ones are safe from vaccine-preventable diseases, the press release stated.
As the new school year approaches, it’s crucial for children to not only look good but also feel confident knowing they are protected against preventable diseases. The Back-to-School Health Fair aims to immunize children, contributing to a healthier community, the release stated.
Don’t have insurance and are worried about the cost of your child’s vaccination?
Frederiksted Health Care Inc. is a participant in the VFC or Vaccinations for Children Program. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines to eligible children at no cost to you. Physicians may charge administrative or office visit fees. Children are eligible from birth through age 18 years of age for VFC if eligible or on Medicaid, do not have health insurance, are underinsured, have vaccine stipulations in current insurance (only covers certain vaccines), and are American Indian or Alaskan Native, the release stated..
The community is encouraged to take part in this great opportunity to update children’s vaccination records and have fun as well. The child must be present with a vaccination card to receive a special bag, it said.
