CDC director visits Tacoma with back-to-school reminder: Time to vaccinate your kids
Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, visited Tacoma on Sept. 11 with a reminder for parents: It’s time to get your kids vaccinated.
Cohen checked out Acts Pharmacy and Healthcare Services in Tacoma’s Allenmore Medical Center, 1901 S. Union Ave., on Sept. 11 during the final stop of her back-to-school national tour. She previously visited Louisville and Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
In addition to meeting pharmacy staff, Cohen spoke with The News Tribune about the importance of protecting kids’ physical and mental wellness.
Cohen is a mom of girls in the fifth and seventh grades. She said her kids just received back-to-school vaccines, and it’s crucial that students everywhere stay current on immunizations against illnesses like polio and measles.
“It’s our best defense against viruses that can really make kids sick,” Cohen told The News Tribune. “Luckily, we don’t see them very much anymore, and we forget how bad these diseases can be for our kids. So I just, as a parent, wanted to remind other parents about making sure we’re up-to-date on those routine vaccines.”
She added that with the fall and winter seasons ahead, flu and COVID-19 infections likely will be on the rise. It’s important to protect your family against those viruses, too.
Flu activity typically surges between December and February, the CDC notes on its website. COVID-19, meanwhile, peaks in the winter months but might also spike throughout the year.
Cohen notes that teachers and school administrators have tough jobs, so the CDC has tried to make their lives easier by providing tools online. The national public health agency offers guidance related to mental health in schools and preventing the spread of germs.
Another major issue today: Vaccine misinformation abounds. Be sure to verify that info is coming from a reputable source, Cohen said. Don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or visit CDC.gov.
“I was just at a pharmacy here in Tacoma. They’re doing great work,” Cohen said. “Talk to them, ask questions, make sure you’re getting your questions answered.”
CDC focuses on mental health
The CDC aims to holistically improve lives, including by addressing mental health, Cohen said.
“We’re very focused on the fact that we are losing too many people to overdose and suicide,” she said.
In 2023, more than 50,000 died by suicide nationwide, and the U.S. surgeon general has deemed mental health the “defining health crisis of our time,” NBC reported in late December. Some 107,543 people in the U.S. died last year of a drug overdose, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.
Cohen said it’s important to look out for symptoms of mental-health challenges in others and to reach out for help if you’re struggling. Those who are in crisis can call 988 anytime: 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she said.
Jeff Hild is the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. On Sept. 11, he highlighted some of ACF’s programs, including one that helps 85,000 Washington residents keep the lights on and others aimed at school readiness and diaper distribution for new families.
Hild told The News Tribune that it’s time to have frank conversations about mental well-being, treating it on par with physical health.
“These are not things to be ashamed about, and we need to bring all these issues out into the open, connect with one another, make sure we’re looking out for each other,” he said.
Dr. Umair Shah, secretary of health for Washington state, told The News Tribune that respiratory-virus season is nearly here. Protect kids via vaccines and keep them home when they’re showing symptoms of illness.
Shah also highlighted “Be Well WA,” a recent state initiative that emphasizes four pillars: movement, nourishment, emotional well-being and social connection.
“And it was this real, this opportunity to talk about health and wellness,” Shah said of the initiative. “What can all of us do together to be healthier today than yesterday and to set us up for a better tomorrow?”
Learn more by visiting bewellwa.org.
This story was originally published September 12, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
