Immunizations

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Back to School Vaccines for Pre-Teens
Vaccine Information for Parents (Spanish)

The Ottawa County Health Department offers vaccines that protect against the following diseases:

Immunization Schedules

Immunizations protect your health. Children who are not immunized are at risk for diseases which can sometimes be fatal. Children should receive most of their vaccinations by the time they are 15 months old. Additional vaccines are required before going to kindergarten and prior to starting 6th grade (about 11-12 years old.) Children should be vaccinated within the time frame that the immunizations are recommended. Children need to have a complete series of immunizations in order to be fully protected from diseases the vaccines prevent. If your child is behind, it is never too late to catch up. Call your health care provider today to get the needed vaccines.

While many people think that immunizations are for children, vaccines are important for people of all ages. Adults, depending on their age and current medical condition should receive the following: Tdap/Td, HPV, influenza, pneumonia and shingles immunizations. See Adult Vaccines or click on the Adult Immunization Schedule for more information.

Follow the links for more information on recommended vaccine schedules:

Clinic Hours, Locations and Phone Numbers

Ottawa County is served by three health department locations. Please call the location nearest you to schedule an appointment for immunizations.

Holland Office
12251 James Street
Holland, MI 49423
(616) 396-5266
Open Monday through Friday

Grand Haven Office
16920 Ferris Street
Grand Haven, MI 49417
(616) 846-8360
Open Monday and Wednesday		    Hudsonville Office
3100 Port Sheldon Rd.
Hudsonville, MI 49426
(616) 669-0040
Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Fees

Receiving routine immunizations does not have to be expensive. The Ottawa County Health Department participates with the Vaccines for Children program which provides free vaccines to children who have no health insurance or are on Medicaid or have insurance that does not cover any part of the cost of vaccines. An administration fee, based on your income, is charged with each vaccine given. Many health insurance plans cover routine immunizations. Please check with your insurer. If your insurance covers the cost of immunizations, it is best to go to your physician’s office to receive them. Click here to view the fees for travel and adult immunizations.

Vaccine Safety

Vaccines are the single most powerful, cost-effective public health intervention ever developed. They have reduced, and in some cases, eliminated debilitating and life threatening diseases. Despite the removal of the agent suspected to be linked to autism, thimerosal, from vaccines in 2002, statistics show that autism rates continue to rise. The following websites provide resources on vaccine safety:

Adult Vaccines

Please call the Ottawa County Health Department at 616-396-5266 if you are interested in one or more of these vaccines.

  • Td/Tdap Vaccine (Tetanus & Diphtheria) - recommended for those who have not received a Td within the last 10 years and those who have close contact to an infant younger than 12 months or healthcare workers who have direct patient contact in hospitals or clinics and have not yet received one Tdap vaccine
  • MMR Vaccine (Measles, Mumps & Rubella) - recommended for those born on or after 1/1/57 with no documented history of receiving two doses of MMR vaccine at least one month apart
  • Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B Vaccines - recommended for those for certain high risk groups. Call for more information.
  • Varicella Vaccine (Chickenpox) - recommended for those born in or after 1980 who have never had chickenpox

Travel Services

Annually, 700 million travelers cross international borders and as many as 50% of them become ill. Those visiting friends and family outside of the United States have as much as 54 times the risk of contracting diseases as do other American travelers. The Ottawa County Health Department believes that staying healthy while traveling involves more that just “getting shots”, and that the Health Department's "Travel Clinic" can help ensure your best chances for good health during your travels.

Our Travel Clinic has appointments in each of our health department offices. During a travel clinic visit, the staff will review your trip itinerary and your medical history. You will receive the most current information specific to your trip from professional travel authorities such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and Shoreland, Inc. The clinic staff will recommend and administer travel vaccines that are indicated for you, based on your medical history and the anticipated risk of exposure during your travels. You will also be provided with information and counseled on common health hazards which might be encountered on your trip, such as insect/water-borne illnesses and other non-vaccine preventable infections, recent infectious outbreaks in the area, and health care standards and health care availability at your destination. In addition, you will receive up-to-date information on safety and security alerts for your destination as well as general advice on how to remain healthy while traveling. All information will be provided in a convenient packet to take with you on your trip.

The Travel Clinic office visit fee is $70. The travel vaccinations are in addition to this fee. Payment is due at time of service. Cash, check, MasterCard, VISA, and Discover Card are accepted. Please note that travel vaccines are not generally covered by insurance. However, a detailed statement will be provided to you at the time of payment which you can forward to your insurance company in the event that this expense is covered.

International Adoption Immunization & Travel Recommendations

Adoption is an exciting, rewarding and busy time for all involved. International adoption can present some additional challenges. The Ottawa County Health Department’s Travel Clinic offers advice on recommended and/or required immunizations for traveling to the country of your child, advice on keeping you and your family healthy while traveling and handouts on health recommendations before and after international adoption. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also offers more information about immunizations and international adoption.

Information for Health Care Providers

Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program

The VFC Program provides federally purchased vaccines for children 18 years of age and younger who are Medicaid eligible, uninsured, American Indian or Alaskan Native, or are under-insured. There are many benefits for both providers and their patients to participate in this program which include keeping children in their medical home and a link to a network of experts that can provide up-to-date information on immunizations. The Vaccines for Children Program is available to Ottawa County physician offices that see children birth through 18 years of age. If you would like more information about the VFC Program, please contact Sue Schryber BSN, RN, Immunization Supervisor at: sschryber@miottawa.org or 616-393-5736.

Instructions for the Use of Vaccine Information Statements - Required Use

1. Provide Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) when vaccination is given.

As required under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (42 U.S.C. §300aa-26), all health care providers in the United States who administer, to any child or adult, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), trivalent influenza, pneumococcal conjugate, meningococcal, rotavirus, human papillomavirus (HPV), or varicella (chickenpox) vaccines shall, prior to administration of each dose of the vaccine, provide a copy to keep of the relevant current edition vaccine information materials that have been produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

- to the parent or legal representative* of any child to whom the provider intends to administer such vaccine, and
- to any adult to whom the provider intends to administer such vaccine. (In the case of an incompetent adult, relevant VISs shall be provided to the individual’s legal representative.* If the incompetent adult is living in a long-term care facility, all relevant VISs may be provided at the time of admission, or at the time of consent if later than admission, rather than prior to each immunization.)

If there is not a single VIS for a combination vaccine, use the VISs for all component vaccines. The materials shall be supplemented with visual presentations or oral explanations, as appropriate.

2. Record information for each VIS provided.

Health care providers shall make a notation in each patient's permanent medical record at the time vaccine information materials are provided, indicating:

(1) the edition date of the Vaccine Information Statement distributed, and
(2) the date the VIS was provided.

This record keeping requirement supplements the requirement of 42 U.S.C. §300aa-25 that all health care providers administering these vaccines must record in the patient's permanent medical record (or in a permanent office log):

(3) the name, address and title of the individual who administers the vaccine,
(4) the date of administration, and
(5) the vaccine manufacturer and lot number of the vaccine used.

Availability of Copies

In Michigan: health care providers should use the Michigan versions of the VIS. Copies are available at your local health department or at www.michigan.gov/immunize. Copies are available in English and in other languages.

Immunization Education for Provider Offices

The Ottawa County Health Department in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) can provide educational in-services to provider offices to increase staffs’ knowledge of immunizations. These in-services are conducted by MDCH approved Immunization Nurse Educators. They are provided free of charge and participants can receive continuing education credits. Each in-service varies in presentation length, but many can be provided over a 75 minute lunch hour. The current available modules are:

  • Infant and Young Child Immunizations – 1.25 hours
  • Older Child and Adolescent Immunizations – 1.25 hours
  • Adult Immunizations – 1.25 hours
  • Vaccines Across the Lifespan – 2.25 hours
  • Vaccine Management: Storage and Handling – 1 hour
  • Giving Immunizations: Vaccine Administration and Pain Management – 1 hour
  • Vaccines for Children Program – 1.5 hours
  • Influenza Update (available in the fall/early winter) – 1 hour

2012 Vaccine In-Service Dates:

  • Feb 1, 8:30-11am: Vaccines Across the Lifespan, Ottawa County Health Department, 12251 James Street, Holland, 49424

  • May 1, 8:30-10am: Vaccine Administration and Pain Management, Ottawa County Health Department, 12251 James Street, Holland, 49424

  • July 11, 12:30-3pm: Vaccines Across the Lifespan, Ottawa County Health Department, 12251 James Street, Holland, 49424

  • Sept 11, 12:30-2pm: Vaccine Storage and Handling, Ottawa County Health Department, 12251 James Street, Holland, 49424

  • Nov 7, 8:30-11am: Vaccines Across the Lifespan, Ottawa County Health Department, 12251 James Street, Holland, 49424

To pre-register for one of these classes, please contact Robin Schurman, BSN, RN at 616-393-5750 or rschurman@miottawa.org

Reporting Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Please remember that all vaccine preventable diseases need to be reported to your local health department. Visit our Disease Reporting for more information.

Great Immunization Resources for Your Office

The Michigan Department of Community Health Immunization website is a great place to download current copies of the Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) with Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) language and for foreign language VISs. This site includes information on:

  • MCIR
  • Current vaccine recommendations, schedules
  • Vaccines for travel, influenza and more
  • Links to information on state immunization programs and ordering free brochures
  • MCIR site Region 2

The Alliance in Michigan Provider Toolkit is an excellent resource for the most up to date immunization related information. The toolkit has five sections of information:

  • Childhood 0-6 years
  • Adolescent 7-18 years
  • Adult 19 years and older
  • Vaccine Safety
  • Vaccine Storage and Handling; Other Resources

The Centers for Disease Control’s National Immunization Program has information for providers and community members such as:

The Immunization Action Coalition offers a variety of helpful tools, handouts, and informational pieces for health care providers and their patients.

Additional Sources of Immunization Information