SAN ANTONIO -- It's the first day of school for hundreds of thousands of kids this morning as they put on their uniforms, get a good breakfast and grab their book bags.
But, for a number of children, that's as far as they'll go. That's because they don't have their required immunization shots.
No shots. No school. No kidding.
The first day of school is the shots Super Bowl for Metro Health as parents rush their students to get the right immunizations. The line stretched far down the block in downtown San Antonio on Friday, and workers expect the same on Monday morning.
So why do people wait until the last minute to get their shots?
"We've got a huge influx of population in our county and we've got so many people moving in from other states and out of the country," said Clark Petty, of Metro Health. "And they just are not up to date and are not aware until they go to get in school."
Metro Health, 332 W Commerce St., is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To make the process faster, Petty recommends that students and parents have the following:
- A copy of immunization records
- A note from a school nurse or school officials
- Medicaid or CHIP card
Petty said that uninsured children may get their shots paid for through the Vaccines for Children Program.
He also recommends getting in line as early as possible.
