Immunizations
As you know, vaccine requirements for some age levels have changed for the coming school year. Rapid Med is pleased to provide these immunizations purely as a service to the community.
It is imperative that you bring each child's immunization record or a letter from the school specifying which immunizations are needed.
For your convenience, we have made available the consent form for each immunization. Please complete the forms prior to your appointment and bring them with you to your appointment.
The cost of the immunizations includes the cost of the medicine, the nurse visit and the administration of the injection. As with the flu shot, immunizations do not require a visit with a provider; they are administered by a nurse. We have kept the cost to a minimum because we want to support the community by making this as affordable as possible. It is our belief that immunizing children is important (see article below), and we hope that by supporting the local schools and the public we are encouraging and educating the community.
Immunizations will be given during the following times. Please call 972-966-1980 to schedule an appointment:
Monday through Friday: 11am - 1pm and 7pm - 8pm
Saturday: 3pm to 5pm
No Immunizations Will Be Given on Sunday
| Vaccine | Description | Price |
| Varicella | Immunization for Chicken Pox | $180.00 |
| Menactra | Immunization for Meningitis | $188.00 |
| T-Dap | Immunization for Tetanus + Whooping Cough | $130.00 |
Unfortunately, some insurance carriers are not reimbursing for vaccines. Therefore, we ask that you pay at the time of service. We will file with your insurance carrier, and we will refund any difference to you. If you would like specific information about the coverage your insurance carrier provides, please call the 800 number on your insurance card.
IMMUNIZATIONS - What You should know
by Rebecca Gomez, M.D.
As many parents with school age children are aware, the schools in Denton County have changed the vaccine requirements for the some grade levels for the upcoming school year. Some people may view vaccines with some skepticism and for good reason. There have been some vaccines that do have significant side effects, and some people may question the necessity of getting vaccinated for a seemingly benign illness or a particularly rare illness. However, vaccines are a very valuable tool for preventing disease and have no doubt saved thousands of lives since the first vaccines were developed many years ago.
The meningococcal vaccine is now required for students at age 11-12, but the CDC recommends that all kids 11-18 years get this vaccine. Meningitis is an infection in the spinal fluid, and meningococcal meningitis is the most deadly form of meningitis. It is not extremely common, but it has a very high mortality rate. It can be difficult to diagnose initially as the early symptoms are similar to the flu, but it progresses rapidly and patients often can be close to death by the time the diagnosis is reached. This infection is more common in people who live in close quarters, such as a college dorm or military barracks. The meningococcal vaccine will greatly decrease the chance of your child getting this deadly disease. Like many vaccines, the meningococcal vaccine can have side effects such as low grade fever, fatigue, body aches, and injection site pain. There have been rare reports of Guillan-Barre Syndrome, a potentially serious but treatable condition, associated with the meningococcal vaccine.
Another change in the vaccine requirements involves the Tdap vaccine, which contains vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Most people are aware of the necessity of tetanus vaccines every 10 years or after certain injuries. Until recently, the tetanus vaccines for people above the age of 7 years contained only tetanus and diphtheria. As babies, most of us also got vaccines for pertussis . It was thought that pertussis vaccination was not required beyond early childhood, but in recent years there has been a resurgence of pertussis cases. With this resurgence came the realization that immunity to pertussis was waning in the adolescent and adult years. While pertussis is not a serious disease in adults, it can be passed to young children and infants that can die from it. So it is now required that children age 14-15 receive the Tdap vaccine rather than just Td (tetanus and diphtheria). It is also recommended that anyone who comes into contact with young children or infants get this vaccine. In fact, many hospitals have started giving it to new mothers before they go home with their new baby.
The last change in vaccine requirements involves the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine. Many people may wonder why this is necessary, as chicken pox is thought to be a benign, self limited illness. However, chicken pox can cause serious illness in people with compromised immune systems or the elderly. The varicella vaccine has only been available since 1995. Since that time, only one dose at age 12-18 months was thought to be necessary. However, there have been many breakthrough cases, so it is now required to get a 2nd dose at age 4-6 years. This vaccine contains live virus and should not be given to people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, or anyone under the age of 12 months. This is a very safe vaccine with very few adverse effects. Side effects are again typical of many vaccines, such as injection site pain or swelling.
As always, if you have any concerns regarding these new vaccine requirements, please discuss them with your doctor and make sure to educate yourself prior to getting the vaccinations.