Monday, August 27, 2007; Posted: 4:08 p.m. (CDT)
Students are required to have a list of vaccines before they head to the classroom. They can run from ten to 100 dollars per dose. In some cases, several doses could be needed.
Challis Island is the mother of six. She knows immunizations can get very expensive. Island says, "It's very difficult."
Don Blose is the Chief of the Immunization Service for the Oklahoma State Department of Health. He says, "I would prefer that people think about the worth of vaccines in terms of a prevention tool."
He goes on to say, "Vaccines are a great weapon and a great tool to prevent serious illness. They've been a great success story from where we used to be. They may come with a price but you need them to protect your children."
Island agrees the vaccines are critical.
She says, "I think it's very important to get their shots."
Parents have a couple of options when it comes to covering the costs of immunizations. They can pay for them with insurance coverage or get help with a federal program. The Vaccine for Children Program is available to help parents cover the costs.
