The Spokane Region has made great strides in supporting kids and their ability to thrive. It takes many small actions to keep children healthy and growing but one action that could use support is helping families access childhood immunizations. Just like children need to have access to books to educate them for the future, their immune systems need access to vaccines to educate them about viruses. Once their immune systems have been educated, it helps keep the children in school, active, and protected from long-term health issues.

• 71% of 19–35-month-old children have received the vaccines recommended for their age.
• 66% of kindergartners have received the required vaccines to attend school.
• 59% of middle schoolers have received the required vaccine to attend school
  
  * Data from the Washington Immunization Information System.

SRHD is working to increase access through quality improvement work in partnership with local medical providers, providing education to the community, and offering community clinics with partners at familiar locations in order to reduce access barriers. SRHD also works with medical providers to remind parents and caregivers when their children are due for immunizations.

Our school nurses and pediatricians are major champions for immunization access, but everybody in the community can become champions! If you have children, make sure they get their annual medical check-ups, so you know when they are due for immunizations. If you know parents who haven’t had a chance to immunize their child, they may just need help with resources. If they need transportation, an interpreter, insurance, or just more information about immunizations, help them call a pediatrician’s office and ask about resources. If you work with an organization that would be a good fit for a vaccination clinic, let us know! Just like every child deserves an education, every child’s immune system deserves an education as well.