(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

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.”

As the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department pointed out this week, the time is now for parents and caregivers to make appointments for those vaccinations.

“Making an appointment now beats the rush during August and the weeks before school starts,” said Christi Merrill, clinical director.

It’s true. The start of another school year is creeping up on us more quickly than we think.

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.

Meanwhile, 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.