CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (July 21, 2025) – As families prepare for the upcoming school year, the Carteret County Health Department is reminding parents and guardians to make sure their children are up to date on required immunizations and health assessments.
North Carolina law requires specific vaccinations for students entering kindergarten, seventh grade and 12th grade. Students entering seventh grade must have a Tdap vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, as well as the first dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine. Students entering 12th grade, or those who have turned 17 years old, must receive a booster dose of the meningococcal vaccine if they received the first dose before age 16.
For a comprehensive list of all state-required vaccines by grade level, parents can visit the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services website at immunize.nc.gov.
In addition to immunizations, state law also requires a health assessment for any child enrolling in public school for the first time. This assessment must be completed by a licensed medical provider within 12 months before the student’s first day of school and documented on the official health assessment transmittal form.
Parents and guardians have 30 calendar days from the first day of school to provide both the immunization record and the health assessment form. Students who do not meet these requirements within that timeframe may be excluded from school until the necessary documentation is submitted.
To further assist families, the department will have staff on-site during the upcoming “Stuff the Bus” event in August. This is a great opportunity for parents to get information about required school vaccines, look up immunization records, and conveniently schedule vaccination appointments at the Health Department.
Appointments for back-to-school vaccinations are available Monday through Friday at the Carteret County Health Department. To schedule an appointment, call 252-728-8550 and select option 3.
Vaccines are provided at no cost through the Vaccines for Children program for eligible individuals from birth through 18 years old who are uninsured, underinsured, enrolled in Medicaid, or identified as American Indian or Alaska Native. Parents should bring identification, their child’s immunization records, and insurance information if available.
For more information or to make an appointment, contact the Carteret County Health Department at 252-728-8550, option 3.
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