It's the week to go before school doors open across Michigan. And along with school supplies, children need their required vaccinations.
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control finds that many teens and pre-teens have not received their required or recommended vaccinations. Melinda Wharton is the deputy director of the National Center for Immunization at the CDC. She admits it can be difficult for parents to keep track of what vaccinations their teenage children have and have not received.
"It’s hard to keep track of this with adolescents. They don’t go to the doctor very often…and it’s just hard to get it done. I think we all recognized that.”
The CDC says about two-thirds of teens are received their required diphtheria and meningitis vaccinations. But the same report finds only about 49 percent of teenage girls have received a recommended vaccination against Human Papilloma Virus.
The Michigan Department of Community Health website has more information about required and recommended vaccinations for school age children.
