Getting ready to go back to school can be a busy time for the whole family. From school supply shopping to get that fresh haircut and trying to get the kids on a normal sleep pattern. It’s busy!

Chief Medical Officer at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children Dr. Reggie Washington says the most important item on your to do list should be to get your immunization shots up to date.

Colorado law requires all student attending Colorado schools and licensed child care facilities to be vaccinated against certain diseases or have either a medical or non-medical vaccine exemption on file.

Due to vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles can spread rapidly, adequate vaccination coverage at the school level—roughly 95% for each vaccine—helps to protect the health of students, staff and others in the community, including those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons or because they are still too young to receive vaccines.