BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For many parents there’s only a few days left before the start of school and that means time is running out to make sure your child is up to date on all their vaccinations.

23ABC’s Veronica Morley spoke with public health about childhood immunizations and why you won’t want to wait to make an appointment.

Public Health Nurse and Immunization Coordinator Ann Walker told Morley, “We want to make sure the kids are there day one ready, prepared to go.”

In the midst of a pandemic, protecting your child from infectious diseases is even more important as they return to school this fall.

“Vaccines save lives and so we want to make sure that kids are in school and ready to learn and that vaccines are not a reason for them not to be ready to learn or to be held out of school,” said Walker.

With the school year only days away, the clock is ticking for parents to make sure their kids are completely up to date on their immunizations — including the MMR, HPV, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

“When kids go back to school, you’re in a group setting, and so you want to make sure you’re protected, especially from measles, mumps, rubella,” Walker warns.

For children 12 and older who have also gotten the COVID-19 vaccine, or are in process of getting it, health experts want parents to know this won’t affect their other immunizations.

In fact, the CDC says all childhood immunizations can be co-administered along with the COVID vaccine.

If your child hasn’t received their immunizations yet, health officials say it’s important to make an appointment soon, because doctors’ offices are filling up and you don’t want your child to miss out on the first day of school because of these vaccines.

If you would like to schedule an appointment for your child’s immunizations, you can call public health at 661-321-3000.