HAYS COUNTY LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Back to School Fair provides free vaccines, vision, hearing screenings
The Hays County Local Health Department hosted its Back to School Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at 101 Thermon Drive. Free eye and hearing exams, STI screenings and vaccinations were available onsite for eligible children and adults.
State Representative Erin Zweiner purchased backpacks that were given out to school-aged children. Dan Gonzales, from the Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 Place 2 Office, Hays County Commissioner Michelle Cohen, Zweiner and Miguel Arredondo, San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District trustee, were passing out hotdogs to the crowd.
Free eye exams were administered by Bluebonnet Lions San Marcos, which according to the Facebook page are “service-minded people” with a mission to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding. The Bluebonnet Lions clean up San Marcos parks, run diabetes and blood pressure events and perform eye clinics for youth.
Texas Women Infant Children were also at the event to support pregnant women and women with children up to the age of five. Texas WIC provides breastfeeding support with lactation consultations, classes and peer counselors. The group also provides nutrition counseling to help the mother and baby stay healthy throughout all of the early stages of life.
Children’s back-toschool, as well as adult, immunizations were available for those eligible under the Texas Vaccines for Children and Adult Safety Net requirements. Free hearing screenings and STI/HIV screenings were also available.
“Ensuring our children are vaccinated and ready for school is crucial,” said Tammy Crumley, Hays County Health Department director. “By providing these immunizations and other health screenings, we are helping our community stay healthy and thrive.”
The HCHD participates in the TVFC and ASN programs, which provide low-cost vaccines to eligible individuals. To be eligible for TVFC, children must be 18 years of age or younger, eligible for the Medicaid program or have no health insurance, or American Indian or Alaska Native as defined by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. To be eligible for ASN, adults must be 19 years of age or older and uninsured.
