School-Located Vaccine Events

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is committed to providing guidance and support for school-located vaccine events (SLVEs) as effective mechanisms for protecting students from disease and keeping them in school. Schools are environments in which children feel safe, seen, soothed, and secure, which can improve the immunization experience. SLVEs can be conducted by various partners which include local health departments, pharmacies, community-based organizations, and academic institutions.  

The training material, samples, job aids, toolkits and more on this page can be downloaded, customized, and shared with your school community on many different platforms and applications. Promote your school’s events early and often, using multiple strategies, to maximize attendance and ensure your events are successful.

Benefits of School-Located Vaccination

School-located vaccination programs offer a range of benefits. They provide the ability to immunize large numbers of students quickly and efficiently in a familiar environment, helping to reduce illness-related absenteeism among students and minimize missed work for teachers, school staff, and families. These programs also make vaccinations more convenient and accessible, effectively reducing barriers for underserved students. In addition to improving student health, school-based vaccinations help lower disease transmission and hospitalization rates in surrounding communities.

By increasing coverage of school-required immunizations, these programs ensure that students stay up to date on all recommended vaccines. School-located vaccination efforts help alleviate the seasonal burden on healthcare providers, especially in preparation for the new school year or flu season.​