Beat the Back-to-School Crush: Health department expands hours for immunization services

School is fast approaching, and parents of kindergartners and 7th graders are encouraged to review their children's immunization record to ensure they are ready for the upcoming school year. Students entering college are also urged to ensure their immunizations are up to date.

Visit www.floridahealth.gov to learn which immunizations your child may need. The following vaccines are required for children entering pre-school and grades K-12: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), measles, mumps, rubella, polio, varicella (chickenpox) and hepatitis B.  Students entering college should check with the health services at their college regarding immunization requirements. 

If your child is due for a vaccine, your best course of action is to call your doctor to schedule an appointment. If you don’t have a doctor or your doctor doesn’t have the vaccine available, both immunization clinics of the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County are offering extended hours in August.

Dates and hours for the immunization clinic at the Health Department facility in Fort Walton Beach, 221 Hospital Drive, are:

- Aug. 4: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug. 5: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. - Aug. 6: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug. 7: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug. 11: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug. 12: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. - Aug. 13: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug.  14: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug. 15: 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. - Aug. 18: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Dates and hours for the immunization clinic at the Health Department facility in Crestview, 810 E. James Lee Blvd, are:

- Aug. 4: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. - Aug. 5: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. - Aug. 6: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. - Aug. 7: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug. 11: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. - Aug. 12: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. - Aug. 13: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug. 14: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Aug. 15: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. - Aug. 18: 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

NOTE:  The Crestview location will be closed daily from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

In addition, the Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County, Fort Walton Beach immunization clinic will open for school-age children only at 221 Hospital Dr. NE location from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday August 9th.  This coincides with the Striving for Perfection Ministries’ sixth annual Community Festival at 24 Bass Ave. in Fort Walton Beach. 

The Department of Health is also offering physicals for children who don’t have a physician by appointment only on Aug. 8 and 15 in Fort Walton Beach. A school or sports physical costs $40; the cost to get both is $50.