Are you up-to-date with School Vaccines? What Every Parent Should Know

Your kids are back in the swing of things at school this fall, but are they protected against preventable illnesses? Vaccines not only keep children healthy; they keep them in school and out of the hospital. Here’s what you need to know for the 2025–26 school year.
 

Flu Vaccine: Still a Top Priority

Flu season may feel far away, but pediatricians recommend getting the flu shot early. Last year’s flu season was severe, with 216 pediatric deaths nationally and 25 in New York State.

“Flu vaccine isn’t perfect, but it can reduce your child’s risk of hospitalization by about 50%,” says Jennifer Nayak, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at UR Medicine’s Golisano Children’s Hospital. “That’s a big deal when it comes to keeping kids healthy and in school.”
 

COVID-19: A Shared Decision

What about COVID-19? While most children experience mild illness, severe cases can still occur—particularly in infants and those with underlying health conditions.

The AAP recommends COVID-19 vaccination for:

• All infants and children ages 6-23 months without contraindications

• Children ages 6 months to 18 years who are moderately or severely immunocompromised

• Children ages 2-18 years in the following groups:

• At high risk for severe COVID-19

• Living in long-term care or other congregate settings

• Never previously vaccinated against COVID-19

• Living with household members at high risk for severe disease
   

In addition, vaccination is appropriate for children ages 2-18 years whose parents or guardians want added protection against COVID-19.

Families should also talk with their pediatrician. While COVID-19 vaccines may be less available in pharmacies, they are expected to remain covered by insurance.
 

RSV Protection for Babies

For families with infants, it’s important to keep them up to date on all recommended vaccinations. This includes protecting your baby from RSV, a leading cause of infant hospitalization. Fortunately, there’s good news on this front: Pregnant moms can receive an RSV vaccine to increase the protection passed on to their newborn, or babies under 8 months of age are able to receive a monoclonal antibody shot to protect them from RSV during their first RSV season. These options are available through local obstetric and pediatric offices.
 

College Students: Don’t Forget Campus Vaccines

Now that classes are underway, it’s not too late to get protected. Living in close quarters like dorms or Greek housing increases the risk of illnesses such as meningococcal disease, which is why many campuses require the meningitis (MenACWY) vaccine and may recommend additional doses or the MenB series depending on housing or activities. Students should also stay up to date on Tdap, flu, and COVID-19 vaccines to help prevent outbreaks in crowded lecture halls and residence halls. And if your student hasn’t started or completed the HPV series, the college years are a good time to catch up—it helps protect against several cancers later in life. Make an appointment with Student Health or a local pharmacy and upload the vaccine record to the student portal for a healthy year on campus

Plan Ahead to Avoid Stress

If your child is due for vaccines, schedule a well visit now. Missing earlier doses can mean multiple shots at once, which isn’t fun for kids who are anxious about needles. Combination vaccines can help, but staying on schedule is the easiest way to keep visits simple.

“Vaccines are like seatbelts,” says Geoff Weinberg, MD, pediatric infectious disease expert. “They’re a small step that provides big protection.” For additional information, the American Academy of Pediatrics has published updated vaccination recommendations. This information can be accessed at the healthychildren.org website