The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is going through regulatory steps for a potential change. 

First, the meningococcal vaccine may soon join the list of immunizations required to attend school in Kansas, the vaccine that protects against four types of the meningococcal disease. A separate vaccine against another type of meningococcal meningitis seen in recent college campus outbreaks would not be required.

Second, starting in July 2020, vaccination reports will all feed into a statewide database that clues physicians to patient needs.

Third, Kansas pharmacists can give children the flu shot as early as age six and they can also administer other recommended vaccines to kids as young as 12.

Public health experts hope families may at least drop by their local pharmacy to get vaccines and that that will gradually boost the state’s teen immunization rates.

Read full story here