ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — It's almost time to send the kids back to school.
That also means that it's time to get your kids vaccinated to keep them healthy.
The state of Texas mandates multiple vaccines for kids of different ages and grades.
Pre-K and kindergarten kids will need to get vaccinated for polio, varicella, DTaP and the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot.
For kids getting into seventh grade, they need the TDaP and MCV4 shots, while 16 through 18-year-old students will need the MCV4 along with the meningococcal B vaccine.
By getting their shots before they get to school, they can keep themselves and their friends healthy and virus-free.
"These vaccines have been a requirement for many years," said Brandy Garcia, director of the Ector County Health Department. "It is important for children to be up to date on their vaccines. It helps to provide immunity for potential exposure to potentially life threatening illnesses."
These vaccines are simply the minimum requirement mandated by Texas. If a child doesn't have all of their proper shots, there is a possibility that they will be removed from school.
"If they don't get them then I believe they will start pushing for them to get that before they're taken out of school," said Garcia.
Many of these diseases, like polio and measles, were deadly to children many years ago. But now vaccines have all but eliminated them from schools.
"Years and years ago, a lot of these illnesses is what they were seeing that children were passing away from," said Garcia. "So now they have became very rare or eradicated because of the vaccines that are provided."
The state also highly recommends that students get vaccinated for COVID-19 and HPV, but they are not required.
Exemptions can also be made for certain vaccines, but you will need to send documentation to the state in order to get the exemption.