Back-to-School Preparations
Santa Clara County, Calif., July 24, 2025— As children and families across the Bay Area prepare for the upcoming school year, Bay Area health officials urge everyone to make sure your back-to-school checklist starts with getting your child vaccinated.
Vaccines are safe, effective, and a routine part of preventative healthcare. They protect against serious diseases such as measles, pertussis (also known as whooping cough), and polio. Locally, health officials in Santa Clara County are focused on the importance of upholding the credibility of vaccine science and ensuring fair access to these life-saving tools as essential steps toward promoting health equity and safeguarding the most vulnerable populations in our community.
“School children in Santa Clara County have benefitted for decades from our high vaccination rates,” said Dr. Sarah Rudman, Acting Health Officer and Director of the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department. “We need to ensure the current generation of students—regardless of race, ZIP code, or income—has the same opportunity to grow up healthy and safe.”
Children in California are required to receive certain immunizations to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools, childcare centers, family day care homes, nursery schools, day nurseries, and developmental centers (pre-kindergarten facilities). Families are encouraged to:
- Check their child’s vaccination records with their health care provider or through California’s Digital Vaccine Record portal.
- Schedule well-child visits early and before the school year begins to avoid last-minute delays.
- Access low- or no-cost vaccinations through local public health clinics if uninsured or underinsured.
Resources
- County immunization information: publichealth.santaclaracounty.gov/health-information/immunizations
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Healthy Children. Immunizations:healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/default.aspx
- CDPH Immunization Branch. Resources for Parents / Guardians:cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/School/resources-parents.aspx
- My Digital Vaccine Record: myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov
- Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): vaers.hhs.gov
Health Officers endorsing these recommendations are from the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma, and the City of Berkeley.
About the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department
The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department is committed to protecting and improving the health and well-being of county residents. By focusing on its core values of equity, diversity and collaboration, accountability, integrity, and impact, the Public Health Department will create a safe, healthy community where all people thrive.
To learn more about how the Public Health Department prevents disease and injury, educates communities, promotes healthy lifestyles, and influences sound health policy, please visit our website,publichealth.santaclaracounty.gov.
