By Andy Bell-Baltaci | Daily Journal
A state immunization coalition has planned immunization clinics this week at two local high schools.
Students and their guardians can get vaccinated for any immunizations they need, including shots to protect against hepatitis A and B, polio, MMR, meningitis and varicella, at Whiteland Community High School and Indian Creek High School. Those vaccinations are required by the state of Indiana, though schools often grant religious exemptions.
The Indiana Immunization Coalition, founded in 2003, collaborates with statewide partners to provide vaccinations, according to the coalition’s website.
The clinics will also offer COVID-19 vaccines to adults and students 12 and older. Parents are required to consent to each shot before it is given, and are encouraged to bring their children’s immunization records, said Aubrey Wing, the coalition’s operations manager.
Guardians need to register for the clinics beforehand. At Whiteland, vaccinations will be available from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday. At Indian Creek, vaccinations will be available from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday.
The coalition organized a vaccination clinic last week at Center Grove High School, and about 90 people attended, Wing said.
“It’s really a great opportunity for families and their students to get vaccines before school starts,” Wing said. “Many schools are having vaccination clinics in part with registration days. It gives them the opportunity to target families you wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise.”
The convenience of getting inoculations on campus should help students get the vaccines they need for school, said Jill Lawalin, health and wellness director for Indian Creek schools.
Although the COVID-19 vaccine will be available, people won’t be pressured to get it, Lawalin said.
Both high schools are in two of the least vaccinated zip codes in Johnson County when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. In both zip codes, fewer than half of eligible residents have been vaccinated. On the other hand, more than 60% of Greenwood residents have been vaccinated and more than 70% of Bargersville residents have had their shot, according to data from the Indiana Department of Health.
Anyone who wants to register for a vaccination clinic can visit patients.vaxcare.com/registration and use enrollment code “IN65942.” People with health insurance should bring their insurance cards, but people without health insurance won’t be charged, Wing said.
