Grand Rapids Public Schools hosting routine childhood vaccine clinics with COVID-19 shots available

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Grand Rapids Public Schools is hosting vaccine clinics to keep students updated on their routine vaccinations for the upcoming school year.

The county is working with the Kent County’s Department of Health to offer multiple vaccination options to GRPS students in the coming weeks, according to a GRPS notice sent to families on Thursday.

The clinics will have all routine vaccines available for children and adolescents, including DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and acellular whooping cough), polio, MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) and chickenpox vaccines. There will also be free COVID-19 syringes in the clinics.

Michigan’s vaccine laws mandate that students must be vaccinated against certain diseases in order to be admitted to schools to prevent disease outbreaks in school settings. These vaccines are required for all students in daycare, preschool, and grades K-12.

To see what vaccinations are required for each age group, check out this information flyer from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The state health department currently does not require children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to attend schools.

The vaccination clinics are all scheduled for Thursday, August 26th and Thursday, September 9th, from 2pm to 7pm. The clinics are held in three locations operated by the Kent County Health Department:

• Fuller Clinic, 700 Fuller Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
• Sheldon Clinic, 121 Franklin SE, Ste. 130, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507
• South Clinic, 4700 Kalamazoo Ave SE, Kentwood, Michigan 49508

Appointments are preferred; walk-ins are also possible subject to availability. To make an appointment call 616-632-7200. School principals ask parents to indicate when making an appointment that they are a GRPS parent.

In all clinics there is a mask requirement, it says in the message.

The COVID-19 vaccine will be free in the clinics. For all other vaccines, Medicaid, Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Blue Care Network will be billed.

Families who do not have insurance or protection for the vaccines must pay a flat fee of $ 0 to $ 23 per vaccine.

A parent or legal guardian must be present at the clinic for all children under the age of 16.

For 16- and 17-year-olds, health authorities require the presence of a parent or legal guardian or a certificate of approval from a parent or legal guardian and a driver who is at least 18 years old.

Child vaccination rates fell during the coronavirus pandemic. In 46 out of 83 Michigan counties, those rates fell below 70%, which is the minimum threshold doctors recommend for avoiding potential outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

RELATED: More than half of the communities in Michigan have less than 70% vaccinations for children

Grand Rapids students will return to school on Tuesday, August 24th. Masks are highly recommended for all students, teachers, and staff, but are not required.

The district plans to offer full face-to-face teaching five days a week.

All students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate themselves regardless of vaccination status. Families and employees will be notified if they or their student has had close contact with someone who has tested the item for COVID-19.

GRPS is the largest school district in West Michigan with around 15,000 students.

More about MLive:

Most K-12 schools in the Grand Rapids area will not require masks this fall

Grand Rapids area schools must quarantine students identified as close COVID-19 contacts, health officials say

Kent County’s senior education agency promotes universal masking in schools in the area