Health District Increases Vaccine Administration Fees Rotating Saturday Clinics Scheduled for March April

Health District increases vaccine administration fees

Rotating Saturday clinics scheduled for March, April

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 11, 2008

LAS VEGAS – The Southern Nevada Health District has increased its administrative fee for immunizations. The new fee is increased to $25 for two or more vaccines per child. The administrative fee for one vaccine per child remains the same at $16. Some vaccines might require an additional fee. For more information, contact the Southern Nevada Health District’s immunization office, (702) 759-0850 or visit www.SouthernNevadaHealthDistrict.org.

The health district recently announced several rotating Saturday immunization clinics at its public health centers. Childhood and pre-teen immunizations will be available. Earlier this year, the State Board of Health implemented new regulations that require all seventh graders to be immunized against Bordetella pertussis; the regulations take effect for the upcoming 2008-09 academic school year. The Southern Nevada Health District provides the TdaP vaccine (tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis) to meet that requirement. Parents must bring immunization records. Children with no immunization records will have to begin the immunization sequence from the beginning. Non-custodial adults may accompany a child, however, written consent must be provided to the health district from the parent or guardian at the time of service. The administrative fees will be collected.

The Saturday clinics will be held:

March 15: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., East Las Vegas Public Health Center, 560 N. Nellis Blvd., Suite E12, Las Vegas
March 29: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., North Las Vegas Public Health Center, 1820 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite F, North Las Vegas
April 12: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Henderson Public Health Center, 520 E. Lake Mead Parkway, Henderson
April 19: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ravenholt Public Health Center, 625 Shadow Lane, Las Vegas
April 26: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ravenholt Public Health Center, 625 Shadow Lane, Las Vegas. This clinic will include a health fair as part of National Children’s Immunization Week.

The Nevada State Board of Health also enacted immunization regulations for college students. Freshmen younger than 24 years of age who will reside in on-campus housing at a Nevada college or university are now required to receive the immunization against Neisseria meningiditis (Meningococcus). The health district provides the vaccine to meet this requirement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), both recommend that 11- and 12-year-old children receive the TdaP vaccine as well as the meningitis vaccine, MCV4, which protects against the disease and its complications. In addition, girls should receive the HPV vaccine to protect them against the types of human papillomavirus that most commonly causes cervical cancer.

Pertussis or whooping cough, cases are on the rise in the United States with more than 25,000 cases reported in 2005. Locally, there have been more than 20 cases in each of the last two years. The illness causes a prolonged cough that can last for weeks or months and can result in pneumonia or even hospitalization. Meningococcal infections can lead to meningitis and, although rare, about 10 percent of the teens who contract it die from it and another 15 percent will have a have long-term disability as a result. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection with about 20 million Americans infected; women have an 80 percent chance of infection by the time they reach age 50. In 2007, approximately 11,000 American women received a cervical cancer diagnosis and more than 3,000 will die from it.

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The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.