Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, visited Tacoma on Wednesday with a reminder for parents: It’s time to get your kids vaccinated.
Cohen checked out Acts Pharmacy and Healthcare Services in Tacoma’s Allenmore Medical Center, 1901 S. Union Ave., on Sept. 11 during the final stop of her back-to-school national tour. She previously visited Louisville and Bethel Park, Pennsylvania , per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
In addition to meeting pharmacy staff, Cohen spoke with The News Tribune about the importance of protecting kids’ physical and mental wellness.
Cohen is a mom of girls in the fifth and seventh grades. She said her kids just received back-to-school vaccines, and it’s crucial that students everywhere stay current on immunizations against illnesses like polio and measles.
“It’s our best defense against viruses that can really make kids sick,” Cohen told The News Tribune. “Luckily, we don’t see them very much anymore, and we forget how bad these diseases can be for our kids. So I just, as a parent, wanted to remind other parents about making sure we’re up-to-date on those routine vaccines.”