Despite the irresponsible “political” noise surrounding the matter, vaccines remain an important step for parents to take in keeping their children as healthy and safe as possible.

For those with children old enough to enter school, state law — West Virginia Code 16-3-4 to be exact — continues to require “a child entering school or a state-regulated child care center in this state must be immunized against chickenpox, hepatitis-b, measles, meningitis, mumps, diphtheria, polio, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough.”

School is set to begin in Randolph County Schools on Aug. 18, and the Randolph-Elkins Health Department is offering vaccinations free of charge for all students. Children entering the seventh grade must receive a boost dose of Tdap (which is for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) and a vaccination against meningococcal meningitis.

For more information or to set up an appointment for vaccinations, call the Randolph-Elkins Health Department at 304-636-0396.

That goes for older students, too, and health departments are also available to give vaccines (against meningitis, for example) that may be needed for college-aged students.

Meanwhile, state law does — of course — allow for some rare exceptions to the rule.

“A request for an exemption to the compulsory immunization requirements of this section must be accompanied by the certification of a licensed physician stating that the physical condition of the child is such that immunization is contraindicated or there exists a specific precaution to a particular vaccine,” according to state code.

Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia have all reported measles cases in 2025, as have some vacation destinations popular for West Virginia residents such as Florida and South Carolina.

Students who were far flung and (we hope) often outdoors this summer will soon enough be crammed together in classrooms and schools. In addition to the required vaccines, consider arming your children with others likely to be available in the fall such as flu, COVID-19 or even RSV.

It’s the right thing to do — for your child and your family.

Don’t wait until the last minute. Get an appointment scheduled now.