Dallas Public Schools begin classes Aug. 11 and many private East Dallas schools start soon after. School officials expect each school-age child to be current with required immunizations against vaccine-preventable diseases.
To help meet this need the Woodrow/Long Health Center, the Dallas Police Department, and the Dallas Public Schools have organized six immunization clinics at East Dallas schools during the first 10 days of August.
Immunizations will be available for children of all ages at the following locations:
Aug. 3 – 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary, 4550 Worth.
Aug. 3 – 1:30-6 p.m., Fannin Elementary, 4600 Ross.
Aug. 4 – 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Lipscomb Elementary, 5801 Worth.
Aug. 8 – 1:30-6 p.m. Robert E. Lee Elementary, 2911 Delmar.
Aug 9 – 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary, 4550 Worth.
Monday-Thursday – 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (except at above times) Woodrow/Long Health Center, 6006 Reiger.
Immunizations will be given in the new Dallas Police Department Mobile Storefront, which will be parked in front of each school. If you can’t attend one of the immunization drives, come to the Woodrow/Long Health Center on the campus of Woodrow Wilson High School and J.L. Long Middle School. Immunizations are $3, but the fee may be waived for financial need.
The Back to School Immunization drive was initiated by the Dallas Police Department Weed and Seed Program. The program is designed to weed out violent criminals, drug traffickers, and blight from neighborhoods and then seed neighborhoods with community services to support families. The Woodrow/Long Health Center, a Community-Oriented Primary Care clinic of Parkland Hospital, is a collaborating agency, as are the Dallas Public Schools.
The Weed and Seed Program has targeted the neighborhoods of Old East Dallas. Future plans are to use Zaragoza Elementary School as a service center for families.
Both President Bill Clinton and Governor Ann Richards have initiated legislation to fund efforts to immunize children against diseases. Almost half of American two-year-olds are not fully immunized, and Texas ranks among the lowest percentages immunized in the nation. Many school age children are behind schedule and may not be permitted to remain in school if not immunized.
Parents of students who are delinquent in their immunizations should have received notice at home from the school nurse this summer. We will be giving immunizations against polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella and Haemophilus influenza type b.
The staff of the Woodrow/Long Health Center will give the immunizations for the back to school drive. The Health Center provides primary health care for any East Dallas child, ages 5 to 18 years old. Hours of service are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and additional services are delivered at the Lemmon Avenue Bridge on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Please help keep the community’s children healthy. Inform a neighbor or someone at church or in your community group about this special outreach effort to immunize East Dallas children. For more information call the Woodrow/Long Health Center at 841-5295.
