Back-to-School Vaccines: Protect What Matters Most

Backpacks, pencils, and… vaccines? August isn’t just back-to-school season—it’s also National Immunization Awareness Month!

Whether your child is starting kindergarten or heading off to college, make sure vaccines are on your back-to-school checklist. Talk to your child’s North Oaks Health System pediatrician or primary care provider to see if they are up to date on all their shots and get any recommended back-to-school vaccines.

What vaccines are required for school in Louisiana?

Louisiana's vaccine requirements for school are straightforward. The Louisiana Department of Health requires that all students in the state—whether starting school or attending college—show proof of required vaccinations or provide a valid exemption.

Louisiana’s school vaccine requirements are based on the recommended immunization schedule by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for your child’s age. These schedules are also approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Here are the vaccines recommended by the CDC for all school-aged children:

For 4 to 6-year-olds:

This age group might need additional rounds of certain recommended vaccines below, plus the flu vaccine every year.

• Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) (DTaP) vaccine
• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Polio (IPV) vaccine

For 11-18 year olds:

This age group may need three vaccines, plus the flu vaccine to protect against serious diseases.

• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine protects against meningitis and bloodstream infections
• HPV vaccine protects against cancers caused by HPV
• Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis
• COVID-19 vaccines are also approved for children 12 and older.

View the CDC’s parent-friendly immunization schedule to see which vaccines your child needs.

Download the North Oaks Pediatrics Clinic’s immunization schedule for up to age 18 here.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines help protect our bodies from diseases by training our immune system to recognize and fight harmful germs like viruses or bacteria. When you get a vaccine, it causes an immune response, teaching your immune system how to respond if the real germ ever shows up. It’s like giving your body a practice run so it’s ready to defend you when necessary.

After getting vaccinated, your body builds up special defenses called antibodies. These antibodies stay in your system and remember how to fight the disease. If you’re exposed to the real virus or bacteria later, your immune system can then stop it before you become seriously ill.

Vaccines are tested and monitored to make sure they are safe and effective. While vaccines can sometimes cause side effects, these are usually mild and don’t last long.

Common side effects include a sore arm, feeling tired or a low fever. These signs show that your body is building protection. Serious side effects are very rare, and the benefits of vaccines—like preventing serious illness—far outweigh the risks.

Why are vaccines so important?

Vaccines are important because they help protect people from serious diseases that can cause long-term health problems or even death. When enough people get vaccinated, it also helps protect those who can’t or have a weakened immune system, like babies or people with certain health conditions. This is called herd immunity, which makes it harder for infectious diseases to spread in a community.

Thanks to vaccines, many illnesses that used to be common are now rare or no longer exist in the United States—especially because of childhood vaccinations.

Getting vaccinated also improves public health, helping keep schools, workplaces and families healthy. When fewer people get sick, your kids can stay in school, parents can go to work and hospitals don’t get overwhelmed.

• The CDC’s vaccine schedule is designed to protect children early, before they’re likely to come into contact with serious diseases that could be life-threatening.
• If we stop vaccinating, diseases can spread quickly. For example, measles cases are rising sharply in the U.S., with more than 1,300 confirmed cases reported so far in 2025—the highest number in more than 30 years.
• Most 2025 measles cases are linked to outbreaks in communities with low vaccination rates, and nearly all infections have occurred in people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. The 2025 outbreak has already led to three deaths and more than 160 hospitalizations, showing how fast illness can spread when children aren’t protected.

• Some vaccine-preventable diseases, like chickenpox and whooping cough, are still common in the U.S. There are between 10,000 and 50,000 cases of whooping cough reported each year. Babies younger than one year are particularly vulnerable to whooping cough and most likely to experience severe complications if they get sick.

Vaccines are a simple, safe way to prevent illness before it starts. They’ve been used for decades and are one of the best tools medical professionals have to keep everyone healthy and strong.

How do I get my child’s immunization records?

The easiest way to get your child’s vaccine records is to contact their North Oaks pediatrician or primary care provider (PCP), who can access LINKS, Louisiana’s immunization registry. All healthcare providers who give vaccinations in Louisiana are legally required to enter vaccine information into this system. Please allow up to 24 hours for the office to prepare and send the information.

Other options recommended by the Louisiana Department of Health to access your child’s immunization records include:

• Use LA MyIR

  This secure online tool lets Louisiana residents view, download, and print official immunization records. For help, call 1-844-211-0215.

• Call your local Parish Health Unit

  They may be able to provide a copy of your child’s vaccine records. Access the state directory of parish health units here.

• Check with your child’s school or daycare center

  If your child received vaccines there, they may have records available. Parents or students over 18 can request copies by submitting a written request to the school nurse or administrative office.

Your child’s immunization records are important for school, sports, travel, and other activities, so it's a good idea to keep an updated copy on hand.

Keep Vaccines on Your Back-to-School Checklist

As the new school year begins, don’t forget that vaccines are just as important as school supplies. Staying up to date on immunizations helps protect your child from serious illnesses and keeps classmates, teachers and family members safe too. Let’s work together to make this school year a healthy one!

If you’re unsure whether your child is current on their vaccines, now is the perfect time to check. Review your child’s immunization records and schedule back-to-school vaccines by calling your North Oaks Health System pediatrician at (985) 542-4950 or primary care provider at (985) 230-2778 to schedule an appointment.

Need the North Oaks Pediatrics Clinic’s recommended immunization schedule for up to age 18?Download your copy here.

Don’t have a North Oaks healthcare provider? Find one here.