Collin County Health Care Services 825 N. McDonald Street, Suite 130 McKinney, Texas 75069 hc@collincountytx.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2010

HEALTH ADVISORY: Help Your Neighbors While Helping Your Children Stay Healthy: Collin County Food Pantries Benefit from Childhood Immunizations

(McKINNEY, Texas) – Collin County Health Care Services are offering 14 different childhood immunizations in exchange for donations of canned and non-perishable food items to support local food pantries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all children be immunized for vaccine-preventable childhood diseases. Vaccines will be available to all children, 6 weeks through less than 18 years of age, while supplies last or until Friday, March 19.

For a suggested donation of two non-perishable food items per vaccination, children can receive:

• Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB)
• Rotavirus vaccine (RV)
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis vaccine (DTaP)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV)
• Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV)
• Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccine (MMR)
• Varicella Vaccine
• Hepatitis A vaccine (HepA)
• Tetanus, Diphtheria (Td)/Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap): Minimum age 7 years
• Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV): Minimum age 9 years
• Meningitis (MCV4): Minimum age 11 years
  Many colleges and universities now require this vaccination.
• Seasonal influenza vaccine: Minimum age 6 months 
  Two doses of seasonal flu vaccine, one month apart, are needed for children 6 months through 9 years of age if this is the first time the child is receiving a seasonal flu vaccination.
• H1N1 vaccine: Minimum age 6 months
  Available in two forms, as a flu shot and as a nasal-spray. Children, starting at 2 years of age, who are in healthy condition and have no underlying medical conditions can receive the H1N1 nasal-spray vaccine. All children under the age of 10 should receive two doses of H1N1 vaccine approximately 28 days apart.
   

Children may receive the majority of these vaccines in the same visit.

All donations of canned and non-perishable food items will be delivered to local food pantries serving people who live in Collin County.

Childhood immunizations will be provided at the Collin County Health Care Services clinic located at 825 N. McDonald Street in McKinney. The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit the Collin County website at www.collincountytx.gov or call Collin County Health Care Services at 972-548-5500.

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