Guilford County to offer vaccination clinics for 7th and 12th graders

Guilford County is offering vaccination clinics next week for incoming 7th and 12th graders ahead of the start of the school year. 

Under North Carolina state law, incoming 7th and 12th graders must receive the Tdap and MCV vaccines respectively before school begins. Vonda Pabon with the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services says they’re offering the clinics now to encourage parents to take care of this early. 

“Before the rush of the back-to-school buying and sports physicals and other school physicals and everything else," she says. "We're just making time to make it easily accessible to parents and to say, ‘Hey, come on in. Do it now.’” 

Pabon says too many kids waited too long to get their shots last year. 

“We want to truly avoid so many kids being suspended during the school year because of noncompliance. So that is the goal," says Pabon. "We want all kids to stay in school.”

The clinics will be offered Monday from 9 a.m. to noon and Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at 501 East Green Drive in High Point and 1100 East Wendover Avenue in Greensboro. Appointments are encouraged, but not required.