Contra Costa County will begin providing the school-required vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis at its COVID-19 vaccine clinics, county officials announced this week.
The Tdap vaccine will be provided for free upon request to all school-age students who are in need. The vaccine is required by the state for students entering seventh grade. Adults are also advised to get a booster for the vaccine every 10 years.
People age 12 and over are also eligible for the no-cost coronavirus vaccine. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced it was safe to get vaccines for non-coronavirus illnesses at the same time someone receives a COVID-19 vaccine.
“With school-age students and their families now visiting our COVID-19 vaccination clinics at campuses around the county, now is the time to get ready for fall and make sure all of your required school immunizations are up to date,” Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said in a statement.
The county’s school-based vaccination clinics, which are operated in partnership with Kaiser Permanente and change locations each week, are open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Minors seeking a COVID-19 vaccine must receive consent from their parent or guardian to get vaccinated, according to the county.
County-operated clinics also do not require an appointment. People who wish to schedule an appointment can do so by visiting https://covidvaccine.cchealth.org/COVIDVaccine or by calling (833) 829-2626.
The county is holding school-based vaccination clinics this week at Acalanes High School in Lafayette, Dallas Ranch Middle School in Antioch and Kennedy High School in Richmond.
A full list of school-based vaccination clinics can be found at https://cchealth.org/covid19/pdf/School-Vaccination-Clinic-Schedule.pdf.