Get Ready for School with Required and Routine Vaccines

It's back-to-school time — and time to get children up to date on vaccines to protect their health.

Getting up to date is important since children and teens are more susceptible to certain diseases. Vaccines prevent disease spread in classrooms, at home and in your community.

"Ensuring children are current on their childhood vaccines is essential for both child and family health and well-being."

Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson
State Health Director / NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer

Is your child up to date on vaccines?

Contact your child's health care provider to check if they're up to date on vaccines. Get tips on keeping track of vaccine records.

• Vaccines required for K-12 school attendance (PDF)
• CDC’s immunization catch-up schedule

Unsure which vaccines your child needs? Take a short quiz by the CDC.

Ask about vaccines during well visits, sports physicals and school health assessments. It may also be a good time to get updated vaccines to protect against COVID-19 and flu.

Find a vaccine near you

Here are two ways to get your child up to date on vaccines:

• Call your child's health care provider, if you have one. They can check if your child is up to date on their vaccines.
• Find a community health center or clinic near you. Health centers provide care regardless of ability to pay.  
  • Find a Health Center
  • Find your Local Health Department
  • Find a Rural Health Clinic

No insurance? The Vaccines for Children program offers free vaccines to eligible children 18 and younger.

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in North Carolina

Vaccine-preventable diseases in North Carolina include:

• COVID-19
• Flu
• Measles
• Meningitis
• Pertussis (whooping cough)

Check our full list of vaccine-preventable diseases in NC.

"Vaccines remain one of the most effective means available to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death."

Dr. Kelly Kimple
Acting Director, NCDHHS Division of Public Health

Keeping children up to date on vaccines also prevents unnecessary absences from school.

Gov. Roy Cooper proclaimed August as North Carolina's Immunization Awareness Month (PDF).

More Resources from NCDHHS

• Vaccine Information for You and Your Family
• About Vaccine Safety
• Kindergarten Immunization Data Dashboard

Related Press Release: Back to School Means Time to Get Children Up to Date on Required and Recommended Vaccines