IZ Xtreme is a voluntary, school-based program that will give FREE pre-teen vaccinations to El Dorado County 6th and 7th grade students at their school this fall. Parent permission is required. Parents can choose to have their child receive all, some or none of the vaccines. The program is provided by the El Dorado County Public Health Department in collaboration with local public schools and the federal Vaccines for Children program.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Helpful Links
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Parent
Letter (pdf)
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| What is IZ Xtreme? | |
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IZ Xtreme is a voluntary, school-based immunization program for 6th and 7th grade students in participating El Dorado County schools. Vaccinations recommended for pre-teens will be offered FREE OF CHARGE to these young people directly at their school during school hours. Parent permission is required. Parents can choose to have their child receive all, some or none of the vaccines. IZ Xtreme is provided by the El Dorado County Public Health Department in collaboration with local public schools and the federal Vaccines for Children Program. |
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| When will the program be conducted? | |
| IZ Xtreme will be conducted in fall 2007, primarily during the first two weeks in October. Parents should receive an informational packet from either the school or the Public Health Department in September. Parents are asked to review the informational packet, and complete and return the required pink immunization registration form by September 21. | |
| What is the purpose of this vaccination campaign? | |
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To protect your child against serious infections. Some new vaccines have recently been approved for use in the United States, aimed at preventing serious diseases in adolescents and young adults. Unlike other childhood vaccines, these new vaccines may not be given until the middle school years. |
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| What diseases do the vaccines in the campaign prevent? | |
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The IZ Xtreme campaign offers three new vaccines for pre-teens, protecting against five serious infections, along with immunization against seasonal influenza. The diseases are:
* The pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are all given together in one shot. |
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| Are the vaccines effective? | |
| Carefully monitored trials of these vaccines have shown that they are very effective in preventing the diseases they were designed to prevent. But parents should be aware that the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) does not protect against all causes of meningitis, including disease caused by serogroup B, the most common strain of meningococcus in North America. The HPV vaccine protects against four strains of the human papilloma virus, which collectively account for 70 percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts. The vaccine does not protect against all strains that cause these diseases, and pap smear screening for cervical cancer will still be necessary when your daughter is an adult. The FluMist nasal spray vaccine is more than 80 % effective in preventing flu infection in healthy children, but like all flu vaccines it needs to be given annually before the start of the winter flu season. | |
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| Are the vaccines safe? | |
| Yes. The vaccines used in this campaign have been extensively tested in large clinical trials prior to licensure, and recipients have since been monitored for adverse effects. In general, the vaccines are all well-tolerated with only mild, local reactions reported. For details on the risks associated with each vaccine, see Vaccine Information Statements. | |
| Can children safely receive multiple injections at the same time? | |
| Yes. All the vaccines to be given in this campaign can be administered simultaneously without harmful effects. Our nurses are trained to vaccinate safely, with as little discomfort as possible. | |
| Why conduct a school-based immunization campaign? | |
| The benefits to your children and the wider community from immunizing preteens with these vaccines are so great that your Public Health Department wants to make the vaccines as widely available as possible. We recognize that children in this age group often lose contact with their usual health care provider, receiving medical care only episodically for acute problems. Vaccinating children at school is simple and convenient for parents, and it eliminates barriers such as cost and transportation. Parents are encouraged to speak with their health care providers about the vaccination campaign, and they are welcome to obtain the vaccines through their medical providers if they so choose. Even if they decide to vaccinate their children elsewhere, parents are urged to complete the pink immunization registration form for the IZ Xtreme campaign and return it in the envelope included in their packet. | |
| Why target 6th and 7th graders for this campaign? | |
| The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have determined that children in the 6th and 7th grades are the ideal population to receive these vaccines. The timing for the meningococcal vaccine coincides with the increased risk of infection that is coming during the teenage years. For Tdap, vaccinating at this time boosts immunity that is normally beginning to decline. The HPV vaccine is most effective when given prior to exposure, and cannot be used as a treatment after exposure has occurred. Giving it at this time, before the start of sexual activity, ensures that girls obtain maximum benefit from the vaccine. Flu vaccine would benefit children and adults in all age groups. It is being offered to your children in this campaign because it can be easily added to the menu of preteen vaccines being provided and may reduce school absenteeism due to influenza. | |
| Does it cost anything for my child to participate? | |
| No. The total retail value of the vaccines being offered exceeds $565.00, but they will cost you nothing if you decide to participate. The vaccines are being provided to the county through the federal Vaccines for Children program, and your county Public Health Department is administering the program at no cost to you. | |
| What if my child has a medical condition that precludes use of the FluMist? | |
| If review of your child’s medical history on page two of the pink immunization registration form indicates that he/she is not a candidate for FluMist, your child will be given the traditional flu shot unless you indicate on page three of the consent form that you do not want your child to receive it. | |
| How will the 2nd and 3rd dose of the HPV vaccine be given? | |
| The team from the Public Health Department plans to return to the school to give the additional vaccines in December and April. | |
| Should I send my child’s current yellow immunization card? | |
| No. Please leave your child’s immunization record at home. Instead, fill out the pink immunization registration form completely answering each question, including the section on vaccination history. We will send your child home with a record documenting the vaccines they receive. This can be added to your current records. | |
| If I choose not to have my child receive one of the vaccines, can he/she receive the other vaccines? | |
| Yes. Your child will only receive the vaccines you have selected on page three of the pink immunization registration form. You may choose some, all or none of the vaccines listed for your child. The decision is yours. | |
| What if I don’t want my child to participate? | |
| The IZ Xtreme program is completely voluntary. Parents who not wish to have their child participate should still complete the Immunization Registration form, indicating their preference on page 3, and return it. | |
| What if my child is sick on the day the vaccines are given? | |
| If your child is sick, it is best that they stay home from school. Contact your school or the Public Health Department at (530) 621-6112 or (530) 573-3157 if your child was scheduled to receive immunizations through IZ Xtreme and had to miss due to illness. Other arrangements may be possible. | |
| What if I don’t receive, or I lose, the information packet? | |
| If you have not received an information packet or yours is lost, please contact your school or the Public Health Department at (530) 621-6112 or (530) 573-3157. | |
| Who can I call if I have additional questions? | |
| You can speak with your school district nurse, or you may call the Public Health Department in Placerville at (530) 621-6112 or in South Lake Tahoe at (530) 573-3157. | |
