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As federal officials like Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rescind recommendations for some flu vaccines, Bay Area health officials are urging residents to vaccinate their children before they head back to school in the next month.
The county Health Department put out a statement on Thursday, July 24, that vaccines are a safe, effective and routine part of preventative health care against serious diseases such as measles, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio. The health department put out a similar statement in March, urging residents to get vaccinated against the measles amid an outbreak in Texas.
“We want to maintain our high levels of vaccination coverage,” said San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana in a prepared statement. “Routine childhood vaccines not only protect children from serious illnesses. They also help every child grow up healthy, safe and ready to learn.”
The press release notes that health officials from Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Solano and Sonoma counties, along with the city of Berkeley, endorse that children still get routine vaccines. On Tuesday, July 22, Kennedy clawed back on formal federal recommendations for all flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative falsely linked to autism, according to The New York Times. Kennedy’s decision does not pull these shots off the market, but the recommendation could mean that flu shots with thimerosal may no longer be covered by insurance companies.
Routine back-to-school vaccines do not include seasonal immunizations, like flu or COVID-19 shots. But San Mateo County Health recommends that, in consultation with a physician, families consider flu and COVID vaccines for children when risk for these diseases is high, said County Health Communications Officer Preston Merchant in an email.
On July 10, GSK (formerly GlaxoSmithKline) announced it had started shipping flu vaccines to U.S. health care providers and pharmacies in preparation for the 2025-26 flu season. CVS’ website indicates that updated flu shots will be available in August.
Children in California are required to receive certain immunizations to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools, child care centers, family day care homes, nursery schools and pre-kindergarten centers. The county encourages families to:
- Check their child’s vaccination records with their health care provider or through California’s Digital Vaccine Record portal.
- Schedule routine doctors checkups early and before the school year begins to avoid last-minute delays.
- Access low- or no-cost vaccinations through local public health clinics if you’re uninsured or underinsured.
Go to San Mateo County Health’s website, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ website or the California Department of Public Health’s website for more information on vaccines. To report adverse vaccine side effects, go to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System website.
