News 12 This Morning / Wednesday, July 25, 2012

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It's not a doctor's visit any child likes.

Getting shot with vaccines that help protect against deadly diseases requires a stockpile of cute stickers, colorful Band-Aids and a full staff of nurses to ease the pain.

"We will start back-to-school immunizations walk-in clinic for Columbia County. We expect it to get extremely busy," said Linda Graves, the Columbia County manager.

Packed with parents like Hillary Barstow, a mother of three young girls entering school soon.

"I have to work and everything. I have to get it done early," Barstow said.

She's beating the back-to-school rush, but her oldest daughter Gabriella would rather delay.

"I don't like it," she said.

If you just moved to the area or have a young child entering school for the first time, they will need the following shots:

• Dtap
  
• Polio
  
• Mmr
  
• Varicella
  
• Pcv13-booster
  
• Hepatitis A
  
• Hepatitis B

"We need those previous immunization records. We ask that if they are new, that they bring those records in prior to coming for a visit," Graves said.

If they miss any shots, they can't go to school.

"Then the school will not accept them, therefore parents have to take time off from work then maybe a waiting period, so that is more time out of school," Graves explained.

That's why nurses strongly urge parents to take advantage of the walk-in clinic hours starting July 30 and then continuing Aug. 1 through the 7th.

Graves said they expect 200 to 300 visitors to the health department per day.

Barstow is glad she came in early.

"It is aggravating, but I did it today, so she's good," Barstow said.

Come Aug. 7, it'll be painless to send her daughter to school.

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