Free immunizations offered to children in Greater Nashua through mobile clinics
NASHUA – Children need to be protected against vaccine-preventable diseases and should continue to receive immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services (DPHCS) is currently providing free immunizations for children in the Greater Nashua Public Health Region using their mobile outreach van.
A CDC report released in May 2020 found a drop in childhood immunizations as a result of families following public health recommendations and staying home. This caused an unfortunate result in children missing routine immunizations. This report can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6919e2.htm?s_cid=mm6919e2_w. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that every child continues to receive routine immunizations during this time. Following the recommended immunization schedule provides your child with the best protection from potentially serious diseases, such as measles and whooping cough.
As communities continue to open up their services and as local school districts are currently working on their back to school plans, parents and caretakers should work with their healthcare provider(s) to make sure their children are able to stay up to date on routine immunizations. If your child is due for a well-child visit, call your healthcare provider’s office and ask about ways they are safely offering well-child visits during this time. Many healthcare offices are taking extra steps to ensure that well-child visits can happen safely. If you do not have a healthcare provider, are uninsured, or are unable to secure an appointment, you are encouraged to attend one of our upcoming clinics.
Immunizations available at our clinics include: Varicella (chickenpox), Meningitis, Polio, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap), Tetanus (Td), Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR), and Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Bi-lingual (English and Spanish) staff will be available at each clinic. When attending a clinic, please bring your child’s most current immunization record and/or school nurse issued immunization letter.
The Nashua DPHCS child immunization clinic dates are as follows: Friday, July 31, 2020 at Dr. Crisp Elementary School (50 Arlington St., Nashua) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, August 6, 2020 at Elm Street Middle School (117 Elm St., Nashua) from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Friday, August 21, 2020 at (36 Riverside St. #1312, Nashua) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, please visit the City of Nashua DPHCS website at https://www.nashuanh.gov/550/Immunization-Program or call 603-589-4500.