Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics host immunization clinic

School officially starts August 21 for students in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, but students must be up-to-date on vaccinations to set foot on campus.

Incoming seventh graders and their parents were encouraged to visit Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinic‘s pop-up immunization clinic at La Cumbre Junior High School on Tuesday.

The free clinic was held at 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. inside the school. There were Spanish translators on site and patients without health insurance were invited.

“I think it’s important for us to come into these schools because it just allows the patients more of a convenience. For the patients that don’t have insurance, this just makes them more aware that we’re here in the community providing these services for them,” said David Lopez, from Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.

The California School Immunization Law requires that children be up-to-date on their immunizations to attend school. For registration, parents or legal guardians will be asked to provide a copy of your child’s immunization record.

Personal belief immunization waivers or exemptions are not accepted effective January 1, 2016 for entry into 7th grade, unless a doctor explains otherwise.

15 patients were received Meningococcal and/or Tdap vaccinations as a result of the immunization clinic.

For more information about vaccination requirements, click here.