Register TODAY for free vaccine catch-up clinics

A crumpled announcement dredged up from the bottom of your kid's backpack may have informed you: A new Pennsylvania vaccine deadline for school-aged kids is looming. Kids and teens who were not up-to-date on required immunizations when the current school year began last fall had eight months to catch up. The deadline is May 1 for many districts, though the exact date varies depending on when school started in your district.

New immunization regulations that took effect last August require children in all grades to receive a second dose of mumps vaccine as well as a second dose of the chicken pox vaccine. They also require students in seventh grade to have one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) and one dose of the tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap). All vaccines also need to be appropriately spaced to be considered valid.

To help parents and caregivers meet the deadline, the PA Department of Health as well as county departments of health are holding free immunization clinics in April. The deadline for registering for state clinics is today, March 30. To sign up, click here or call 877-PA HEALTH (877-724-3258). The most recent copy of your child's vaccination history must be provided at the time of the appointment. Students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Additional clinics will be held in several counties including these:

Bucks County

Bucks County Department of Health

Doylestown Office

1282 Almshouse Road

Doylestown, PA 18901

April 21, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

For more information, call 215-345-3318. An appointment is not necessary.

Bucks County Department of Health

Levittown Office

7321 New Falls Road

Levittown, PA 19055

April 28, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

For more information, call 267-580-3510. An appointment is not necessary.

Chester County

 Chester County Health Clinic

601 Westtown Road

West Chester, PA 19380

This location has multiple days and times available. For more information, call 610-344-6252. An appointment is not necessary on any of the clinic days:

April 9, 2:30 – 7 p.m.; April 10, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; April 11, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; April 13, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Montgomery County

Abington Junior High School

2056 Susquehanna Road

Abington, PA 19001

April 12, 4 - 7 p.m.

To register for an appointment, visit www.health.montcopa.org or call 610-278-5117.

Spring-Ford Ninth Grade Center

400 S. Lewis Road

Royersford, PA 19468

April 19, 4 - 7 p.m.

To register for an appointment, visit www.health.montcopa.org or call 610-278-5117.

Trinity Lutheran Church

1000 W. Main St.

Lansdale, PA 19446

April 26, 4 - 7 p.m.

To register for an appointment, visit www.health.montcopa.org or call 610-278-5117.

Northampton and Lehigh counties

Donegan Elementary School

1210 E. Fourth St.

Bethlehem, PA 18015

April 12, 4 - 6 p.m.

To register for an appointment, call 610-865-7087. For more information, visit www.bethlehem-pa.gov/health.

Note: a second clinic will take place April 30. Times and locations are yet to be determined.