Our Hospital

    Blog

    Oct 01
    Blog: Ready for Booster Shots?

    As you may know, New York State has changed its law regarding school vaccinations. Now every child attending a public school must be vaccinated, unless there is a physician-authorized medical reason not to. Nonmedical exemptions, including for religious reasons, no longer exist. 

    While the medical community has no role in enforcing the law, our providers here at Saratoga Hospital are dedicated to helping families understand and meet the new requirements.

    “Knowing this would generate many questions from our families, we held a community forum so we could be readily available for them,” said Richard Falivena, DO, MPH, Vice President and Chief Medical and Physician Integration Officer at Saratoga Hospital. “Vaccinations started before the beginning of school, and now it’s about time for booster shots. We’d like to make sure families know we are here to help.”

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer vaccination schedules in tables by age, medical indications, and catch-up schedules here. Booster shots are available through your primary care provider, who can also answer your questions. 

    If you currently do not have a primary care provider, we can assist you in finding one through our Saratoga Hospital Medical Group Patient Concierge. We’ll help you find the physician that is right for you. Please contact us at 518-886-5900. 

    Looking for your child’s vaccination history? Medical records for patients are available to them through the Patient Portal system, and you can also find your child’s vaccination history through the New York State Immunization Information System. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the NYSIIS. If you are trying to locate old immunization records, the NYSIIS is a good place to start, but if those records aren’t there, try these options.
      
    Learn more about the new school vaccination requirements on the New York State Department of Health website. You can find a list of our primary care providers here

    Saratoga Hospital endorses vaccinations for all children, with the exception of recognized medical exemptions. We respect the right of parents to assess how to best provide for the healthcare of their child(ren) within New York State law. However, we support the findings of the New York State Department of Health, Center for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and others in the established medical community regarding the impact of vaccinations on individuals and the community.