Carl Dameron, creative director of Dameron Communications. “Sharing your stories is fun. Let me share the secrets of successful public relations and advertising.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) Businesses, government and civic groups that want to liven up their meetings with an interesting and informative advertising and public relations speaker should choose Carl Dameron, creative director of Dameron Communications.
Dameron has run his own public relations firm for more than 30 years, and during that time he has shared his expertise on what makes a good story with everyone from local political candidates to national logistics firms.
“The same elements that make interesting news releases also make good speeches, Dameron said. “In my presentations, I mix humor with a clear, direct message while delivering information you can put to work right away!”
Dameron will explain how important it is to get in front of a story to drive national and regional advertising, public relations and news coverage.
“People who hear me speak should leave with a better understanding of how to improve their own advertising and public relations efforts,” Dameron said. “Sharing your stories should be fun. Let me share the secrets behind successful public relations and advertising.
Getting the attention of the news media is not easy.
Editors, reporters and media managers are constantly bombarded with e-mails from PR people. Most are spiked right away, but releases from Dameron Communications always get a second look.
How? Carl Dameron understands news and knows how to work with busy news professionals.
Dameron Communications has served Southern California clients since 1989
Dameron is available to speak on several advertising and public relations topics including:
Advertising – How to create advertising that works — from flyers to TV commercials and everything in between
Public Relations – How to get media coverage and increase the positive perception of your organization
Government Relations – How to get elected officials to listen and how to leverage their influence
Community Relations – How get the community to understand and support your goals and objectives
The Dameron family 1965 in E. St. Louis, IL. Barbara, Carl T., Crystal (baby), Denise, Carl and Kathleen. “We we integrators,” said Katheleen Dameron.
“When you look at the history of redlining, the history of denying Black people and Native Americans the right to housing, this is a significant step in saying, ‘Yes, we did do wrong,’ and when you do someone wrong, you apologize and you make amends,” Dameron said. “That is the beginning of the healing process.”
(Paris, France). A Chicago suburb recently became the first city in the United States to agree to pay Black residents reparations for slavery and past discriminatory policies and practices.
That decision shows that some communities are beginning to recognize and acknowledge the harm caused by America’s systemic racism, an expert on race relations said.
“It’s a historic decision to do this, and we’re hoping that this is the beginning of people being able to open their minds, open their eyes to what’s happened in the past and the consequences today,” said Kathleen Dameron, an internationally recognized cross-cultural trainer.
The City Council of Evanston, Illinois, recently voted to distribute $400,000 in housing assistance and mortgage relief to eligible Black households. The city will provide $25,000 for down payments on houses or property, home repairs, and interest or late penalties on property in Evanston.
To qualify, residents must either have lived in the city between 1919 and 1969 or be a direct descendant of a black Evanston resident from that time. Those who experienced housing discrimination in Evanston after 1969 are also eligible.
The $400,000 comes from a $10 million reparations fund created in 2019 using tax money from the city’s recreational marijuana program.
“When you look at the history of redlining, the history of denying Black people and Native Americans the right to housing, this is a significant step in saying, ‘Yes, we did do wrong,’ and when you do someone wrong, you apologize and you make amends,” Dameron said. “That is the beginning of the healing process.”
Even though $25,000 is not enough to pay for a house, paying reparations is still important for the city, said Dameron, a Black American now living in Paris.
“It’s not reparations in the sense of, ‘We denied you a house, so we’re going to give you a house now,’ but it is acknowledgement of the damage done, of the impact on the generations of that damage,” Dameron said. “It recognizes and it acknowledges that we did harm consciously, in policy, in law and in practice and we’re seeking to recognize it and to make amends.”
Dameron said that getting national reparations or getting some areas to agree to reparations is still a difficult process.
“One of the problems we have is that there are some people in the United States – and this happens consistently across the United States – they would rather close the swimming pool and have no swimming pool in the community than to have Blacks have access to the swimming pool, so as desegregation started throughout the South, public swimming pools disappeared, public parks disappeared,” she said.
“Some people thought, “I’d rather have nothing than have Back people share in this,” she said.
“That mentality makes it extraordinarily difficult to say, ‘We did you wrong. As human beings, we did not give you a fair environment. We persecuted you. We banned you. We burned your houses down and we killed people.’ ”
So even though Evanston is making amends and recognizing and acknowledging that they caused harm, “that acknowledgement is still difficult for many Americans to make,” Dameron noted.
Dameron is currently leading a series of seminars on “Healing the Collective Trauma of Racism.” In her sessions, she helps participants recognize the difference between interpersonal and institutional racism.
Participants build a feeling of community and energy to create social justice.
To introduce people to her sessions, she is offering a free, self-paced, one-hour course. You can learn more by going to www.KathleenDameron.com
Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates, speaks with Baron Jordan, of San Bernardino, March 20,2021 at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Jordan is sitting in the observation area after receiving the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. After receiving the vaccine, patients are observed for 15 minutes for any immediate adverse effects. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“I had to try to get around the bureaucracy myself, so I appreciate that our health partner LaSalle engaged with trusted community partners like churches… “It’s good to offer clear access from familiar people to the community. It helps” said Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
(Rialto, Calif.) Nurses from LaSalle Medical Associates vaccinated more than 220 people Saturday during a Rialto clinic designed to give the Black community better access to COVID-19 vaccinations.
LaSalle teamed up with San Bernardino’s New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and The Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches to put at a recent clinic, part of an innovative approach in which the church gathered a list of interested people, and LaSalle staff members contacted them to make appointments.
Alicia Cazenave of San Bernardino was happy that her church worked with LaSalle to bypass the bureaucratic roadblocks she experienced earlier when trying to make appointments for family members through government agencies.
She arrived early Saturday morning and was third in line to get her shot.
“I am relieved to be getting it,” said Cazenave, 59. “Having the church organize it helped as far as access. The church gave us better access.”
She was also happy to be getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is just one dose.
“The shot was good. No pain,” she said after being inoculated.
Dr Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, was thankful that LaSalle worked directly with the church to set up vaccination appointments.
“I had to try to get around the bureaucracy myself, so I appreciate that our health partners engaged with trusted community partners like churches, and I appreciate the respect for the church, knowing that we have influence in the community,” he said. “It’s good to offer clear access from familiar people to the community. It helps.
“And the one shot, that sold itself. I think a lot of people were waiting,” he said.
“Today we are giving Johnson’s vaccine. It’s just one shot and you’re done. We just got it last week,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, LaSalle’s president and founder. “It’s as effective as the others at preventing serious disease or death. That’s up to nearly 100 percent.”
During Saturday’s clinic, he stood outside, answering questions and sharing light-hearted banter with people waiting in line.
Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, speaks with Edward Hoffman III, of Redlands, March 20, 2021 at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Hoffman is sitting in the observation area after receiving the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. After receiving the vaccine, patients are observed for 15 minutes for any immediate adverse effects. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“After your shot, you may get a slight fever tonight. But don’t worry. It’s just a case of Saturday Night Fever,” he joked with one man.
Vicki Creighton, from Riverside, said she was eager to get vaccinated Saturday.
“I feel confident, and I feel it’s going to be great. My mom and dad are 88 and they had their shots,” she said.
Deborah Neal, from Lake Elsinore, said she learned of Saturday’s clinic when a friend shared a flier from New Hope.
“I sure am relieved, especially since it’s one shot,” she said.
Dr. Arteaga told her, “You notice that we are taking everyone who comes and not finding reasons to turn people away.”
The Rialto clinic, San Bernardino clinic on Mount Vernon Ave., and Hesperia clinic are certified vaccination centers. For more information on LaSalle Medical associates at http://www.lasallemedicalassociates.com
About LaSalle Medical Associates LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
“I understand people’s anger at being told to be less white,” said internationally recognized cross-cultural trainer Kathleen Dameron. “Be less white. What are the qualities?
“I have a lot of empathy for people being told to be less white,” she said. “I know it hurts. As a Black child and as a grown-up, I have been told to be less Black, straighten your hair, dress to look like a nice corporate person. I can understand how being told to be less white hits you in your identity, because I was told be less Black.”
(Paris, France) Americans should not get upset over reports saying Coca-Cola was asking its employees to “be less white” as part of its mandatory diversity training.
“I understand people’s anger at being told to be less white,” said internationally recognized cross-cultural trainer Kathleen Dameron. “Be less white. What are the qualities?
“Be less oppressive. Where’s the problem? Listen more. What’s the problem? Be less defensive. where’s the problem?” she asked. “But people get upset the minute they hear, ‘Be less white,’ because it hits them in their identity. It hurts and they reject it.”
Dameron said it might be more effective to say, “We’re asking you to create a JEDI society, to create Justice, Equality, Dignity and Inclusion.”
The training course at the center of the Coca-Cola backlash was titled “Confronting Racism.” It advised whites to listen more and be less oppressive, less arrogant, less certain, less defensive and less ignorant,” according to the New York Post.
Coca-Cola denies that it was part of their required training.
“That’s not the point,” said Dameron, who has more than 30 years’ experience training American, European and Asian executives worldwide but is not involved in the disputed training.
“Coca-Cola should have said, ‘We are committed to a fair, equal workplace environment,’” she explained. “It’s not corporate training that makes workplaces fair. It’s offering equal pay and equal opportunities for hiring and advancement regardless of race or gender. That’s how you change.”
Dameron understands why the issue triggered some people’s emotions.
The Dameron family 1965 in E. St. Louis, IL. Barbara, Carl T., Crystal (baby), Denise, Carl and Kathleen. “We we integrators”
“I have a lot of empathy for people being told to be less white,” she said. “I know it hurts. As a Black child and as a grown-up, I have been told to be less Black, straighten your hair, dress to look like a nice corporate person. I can understand how being told to be less white hits you in your identity, because I was told be less Black.”
Dameron is currently leading a series of seminars on “Healing the Collective Trauma of Racism.” In her sessions, she helps participants recognize the difference between interpersonal and institutional racism and build a feeling of community and energy.
To introduce people to her sessions, she is offering a free, self-paced, one-hour course. You can learn more by going to www.KathleenDameron.com
“This is an amazing, beautiful luxury apartment designed for seniors in La Puente,” said Kim Pollack, vice president of WSH Management, the manager of Arboleda Senior Apartments.
(La Puente, Calif.) La Puente is the home to a thriving new luxury apartment complex for seniors featuring energy-efficient kitchens, a large community room, fitness center, computer center, library and more.
Construction already is underway on the 74-unit Arboleda Senior Apartments at 1040 N. Unruh Avenue, close to La Puente’s parks, shopping, dining and transportation hubs. Many medical services also are located nearby.
“This is an amazing, beautiful luxury apartment designed for seniors in La Puente,” said Kim Pollack, vice president of WSH Management, the manager of Arboleda Senior Apartments.
From the outside, the apartment community evokes California’s classic Mission heritage with Spanish-style architecture, featuring white walls with wrought-iron accents, red tile roofs and a large central courtyard with shade trees and outdoor seating – the perfect place to relax during one of the region’s many beautiful days!
“It’s a big deal for the city, and they are really excited by it,” Pollack said. “It’s really beautiful, with the look of a boutique resort with affordable rents for seniors.”
The comfortable one-and two-bedroom apartments each have individual heating and air conditioning units, as well as full-size closets, bathrooms and kitchens. The units and common areas also are spacious, beautifully decorated and handicapped-accessible.
Arboleda residents will enjoy the San Gabriel Valley’s beautiful weather year-round, thanks to terraces on each ground-floor unit and balconies on each second-floor unit.
Many restaurants are a short distance from the Arboleda apartment community, including the famous Donut Hole, a popular Southern California landmark in which patrons drive through the center of two giant doughnuts to place their orders.
Construction on the Arboleda Senior Apartments is expected to be finished early this summer, and Pollack said residents will start moving in June of 2021. The luxury community is for seniors 62 and better, and Pollack said.
“Rents range from $845 to $1,267 per month, which was partly funded by state and federal housing funds. The maximum allowable annual income is $47,340 for one person and $54,060 for a two-person household,” Pollack said.
The company already has started a pre-qualification process and is gathering basic information from people interested in making Arboleda Senior Apartments their home.
For more information contact WSH Management at ArboledaSeniorApts.com or by calling (626) 423-6995.
Family members can rest easy and be confident, knowing their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are enjoying comfort and good company at Arboleda Senior Apartments.
“It’s really beautiful, with the look of a boutique resort with affordable rents for seniors.” said Kim Pollack, vice president of WSH Management, the manager of Arboleda Senior Apartments
(La Puente, Calif.). Seniors and family members looking for safe, comfortable living for themselves or their loved ones will find what they’re looking for at Arboleda Senior Apartments in La Puente.
The beautiful 74-unit apartment community features energy-efficient kitchens, a large community room, fitness center, computer center, library and more. It’s a great place where seniors 62 and better can call home.
“It’s really beautiful, with the look of a boutique resort with affordable rents for seniors.”
said Kim Pollack, vice president of WSH Management, the manager of Arboleda Senior Apartments.
From the outside, the apartment community evokes California’s classic Mission heritage with Spanish-style architecture, featuring white walls with wrought-iron accents, red tile roofs and a large central courtyard with shade trees and outdoor seating – the perfect place to relax during one of the region’s many beautiful days!
The comfortable one-and two-bedroom apartments each have individual heating and air conditioning units, as well as full-size closets, bathrooms and kitchens. The units and common areas also are spacious, beautifully decorated and handicapped-accessible.
Arboleda residents will enjoy the San Gabriel Valley’s beautiful weather year-round, thanks to terraces on each ground-floor unit and balconies on each second-floor unit.
The senior apartments are also close to medical centers, parks, shopping and dining and many of the services that seniors regularly need and enjoy.
Family members can rest easy and be confident, knowing their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are enjoying comfort and good company at Arboleda Senior Apartments
Construction on the Arboleda Senior Apartments is expected to be finished early this summer, and Pollack said residents will start moving in June of 2021.
“Rents range from $845 to $1,267 per month, which was partly funded by state and federal housing funds. The maximum allowable annual income is $47,340 for one person and $54,060 for a two-person household,” Pollack said.
The company already has started a pre-qualification process and is gathering basic information from people interested in making Arboleda Senior Apartments their home.
For more information contact WSH Management at ArboledaSeniorApts.com or by calling (626) 423-6995.
About two weeks after the first dose, the level of protection is approximately 50 percent, and two weeks after the second dose, the level of protection is about 94 percent.
(Redlands, Calif.) Inland Empire residents who receive both scheduled doses of the Covid-19 vaccine are so well-protected that their chances of becoming seriously ill from the virus are virtually zero two weeks after their second shot, said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates.
About two weeks after the first dose, the level of protection is approximately 50 percent, and two weeks after the second dose, the level of protection is about 94 percent, Dr. Arteaga explained Feb. 19.
And in the unlikely event that someone did come down with the illness two weeks after the second shot, it would be a much milder case, he said.
“About two weeks after your second shot, you are virtually assured that you won’t die from this scourge,” he said. “Getting the vaccine is something to be proud of, something to share with others.”
LaSalle Medical Associates operates clinics in Fontana, Hesperia, Rialto, Victorville and two in San Bernardino. The clinics have been administering the Moderna vaccine for almost six weeks, and Arteaga said it’s highly effective based on what he’s seen.
He believes the other vaccines being used in the United States are probably just as effective.
Arteaga said that some critics may point to the six-percentage point difference between 94 percent and 100 percent to question the Moderna vaccine’s effectiveness, but the percentages are for the population at large.
“Six percent is a very low percentage,” he said, and some people may be at a higher level of protection than the general population.
“When we get the vaccine, we don’t hoard it. We give it out as quickly as we can,” he said.
The recent storms that hit parts of the United States have affected LaSalle to some degree, he said, but, at the worst, vaccinations would be briefly paused until new shipments are received, he said.
Dr. Arteaga said he has received both doses of vaccine himself, and he did not suffer any severe reactions.
“I had mild soreness in my arm after the first dose,” he said. “It’s the second dose that tends to give a little more of a reaction, and I did feel like a mild flu for about 24 hours after the second dose, but it quickly cleared up.
He said he believes it’s OK for people to take Tylenol if they suffer discomfort after their second dose.
“We have had vaccines for other illnesses forever, and we tell mothers, ‘Yes, give your child some Tylenol.’ There are no signs that it blunts the immune response. It’s a theoretical possibility, but it’s just theoretical. Go ahead and take your Tylenol.”
Dr. Arteaga is a nationally recognized expert on immunizations. In 2012, he was honored by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which selected him as California’s first “Childhood Immunization Champion.”
About LaSalle Medical Associates: LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
Kathleen Dameron, American in Paris, Healing the Collective Trauma of Racism
“In our collective trauma, we still choose not to see our history, our past acts and our current blind eye to injustice. Even as a Christian nation, we still do not pay attention to the well-being of other human beings,” said Kathleen Dameron, American in Paris
(Paris, France) Internationally recognized Cross-cultural Trainer Kathleen Dameron is launching a series of seminars titled, “Healing the Collective Trauma of Racism” as a way to help Americans recognize and move beyond the systemic racism that has plagued society for hundreds of years.
The importance of her sessions became clear when angry white insurrectionists invaded the United States Capitol carrying Confederate flags on Jan. 6. The insurrectionists were cheered by then-President Donald Trump, who openly supported white supremacists throughout his presidency.
His lies about the election being stolen were a blatant effort to disenfranchise the millions of black voters who voted against him.
“The insurrectionists were so convinced of their impunity, that they took selfies of themselves and then posted them on social media,” Dameron said.
With the horror of that day still fresh in people’s minds, Dameron said it’s time to work toward healing the collective trauma of racism.
“The times, they are a-changing,” she said, quoting Bob Dylan’s iconic song. “We have a perfect window of opportunity. We need to work with whites not to feel ashamed, but to open their hearts so they can recognize how cold and cruel and undemocratic they have been toward their fellow human beings…. and themselves.”
Dameron’s seminars are ongoing, and sessions focus on everything from enslavement and Jim Crow laws to targeted policing and mass incarceration of black people and people of color.
In her seminars, Dameron will help participants understand the difference between interpersonal and institutional racism, guiding them to build a feeling of community and healing energy.
Before starting her sessions, she is offering a free, self-paced, one-hour course “First Steps” so each one can build their Racial Literacy. You can enroll by going to www.KathleenDameron.com or clicking on the following Web link:
“We will take time over six weeks, then six months, to explore the impact of racism in the United States,” Dameron said. “We will take time to open our eyes, our minds and our hearts. “We will start our individual action, looking at what’s very local around us. And in community, we will walk together toward larger and more impactful actions.”
Kathleen Dameron is an American based in Paris with more than 30 years’ experience coaching, facilitating, and training within multinational companies in French, English and Spanish.
Through KD Conseil, her French consultancy, she coached coach American, European and Asian executives all over the world, helping organizations transform their cultural diversity into a competitive advantage.
Moving beyond America’s systemic racism and even getting some Americans to recognize that it exists will not be easy.
Dameron noted the ongoing drumbeat against Black Lives Matter and the false equivalency of BLM and the violent insurrectionists heard daily on conservative news programs. It is important to listen to different drumbeats.
But her seminars are one step toward healing the collective trauma of racism.
“In our collective trauma, we still choose not to see our history, our past acts and our current blind eye to injustice. Even as a Christian nation, we still do not pay attention to the well-being of other human beings.
“We need to talk often and softly with humor and enthusiasm and begin our transformative journeys,” she said.
Forward Air fork lifts load freight onto trucks for local delivery
Fontana, Calif.– Forward Air Corporation (NASDAQ: FWRD) (the “Company” or “Forward”) is executing a growth strategy that involves organic infrastructure investments such as its ongoing less-than-truckload (LTL) network expansion, as well as inorganic investments, including acquisitions of complementary businesses. Today, Forward announced that it will bring its expedited LTL service to the Inland Empire.
Forward Air Corp is people. driving and delivering the things that people need.
Forward Air Corp selected Fontana to serve as its operational base, supporting the entire Inland Empire region, which is experiencing high demand for freight transportation services. From the Fontana facility, Forward will handle freight from the Ontario International Airport and Southern California’s busiest ports, transporting it throughout the United States and Canada. At nearly 100,000 square feet, the new facility brings instant capacity and supports future growth.
The Fontana facility is Forward’s fifth location in California, and second facility in greater Los Angeles – an area in which the Company has experienced strong growth. In addition to bringing best-in-class transportation times to the Inland Empire, the new facility is expected to create operational efficiencies with Forward’s Los Angeles terminal.
Tom Schmitt, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Tom Schmitt, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer said, “The new Fontana facility plays a critical role in our Southern California expansion plans. From this location, we will support our largest national customers and increase our reach with pick-up and delivery services. We will also link smaller businesses and individuals to our portfolio of service offerings.”
The Company expects job creation to include managers, dock workers and company drivers.
Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren added, “As a global supply chain hub, the City of Fontana has emerged as an economic powerhouse of the Inland Empire. With logistics operations accounting for nearly 12,000 jobs in Fontana, and now with more coming soon, our residents have the unique opportunity to work within the city they call home. We are pleased to welcome Forward Air Corporation to the City of Fontana.”
Forward’s California footprint now includes operations in Fontana, Carson, Union City, Sacramento and San Diego.
“The new facility in Fontana marks Forward’s continued expansion of services beyond its traditional airport-to-airport footprint. With the introduction of expedited LTL service out of Fontana, the Inland Empire region is now connected to our nationwide network and our premium freight management services in LTL, full truckload, intermodal drayage and final mile delivery,” Schmitt said.
About Forward Air Corporation
Forward Air Corporation (NASDAQ: FWRD) is a leading asset-light freight and logistics company. We provide LTL, final mile, truckload, intermodal drayage and pool distribution services across the United States and in Canada. Headquartered in Greeneville, Tennessee, Forward operates approximately 200 facilities across the country and employs more than 5,200 people nationwide. We are more than a transportation company. As a single resource for your shipping needs, Forward is your supply chain partner. For more information, visit our website at www.forwardaircorp.com or call (800) 726-6654.
This press release may contain statements that might be considered as forward-looking statements or predictions of future operations including with respect to the expected impact on job creation in Fontana, creation of operational efficiencies with the Company’s Los Angeles terminal and growth and future expansion of the Company’s network and footprint. Such statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on management’s belief or interpretation of information currently available. These statements and assumptions involve certain risks and uncertainties including that the performance of the LTL service in Inland Empire is worse than anticipated and that the Company is not able to achieve its planned expansion. Actual events may also differ from these expectations as a result of the risks identified from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider the forward-looking statement contained herein in light of such risks. We assume no duty to update these statements as of any future date.
For media inquiries, please contact Justin Moss at jmoss@forwardair.com or 404-362-2472.
California locations:
ONT – FORWARD AIR, INC. 10694 Tamarind Ave.
Fontana, CA 92316
LAX – FORWARD AIR, INC. (310) 608-4620
18055 Harmon Ave.
Carson, CA 90746
_FA_LAX@forwardair.com
SFO – FORWARD AIR, INC. (510) 475-3000
30108 Eigenbrodt Way, Ste. 100
Union City, CA 94587
_FA_SFO@forwardair.com
SMF – FORWARD AIR, INC. (916) 830-2242
1227 Striker Avenue, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
_FA_SMF@forwardair.com
SAN – FORWARD AIR, INC. (619) 286-6405
7365 Mission Gorge Road, Suite E
San Diego, CA 92120
_FA_SAN@forwardair.com
(San Bernardino, Calif.) – August is the month many Inland Empire children head back to school. Many of them, especially in grades 7-12, need to make sure they have all the necessary back-to-school immunizations.
New this year is a state of California requirement all children in grades 7-12 be immunized against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. Before starting classes, children in these grades must show proof of having been immunized after their 10th birthday.
“Most children were immunized against pertussis before they started kindergarten,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. “But the immunization weakens over time, so the new law makes sure adolescents are still adequately protected against this disease.”
This state law came after an epidemic of pertussis cases in 2010, affecting more than 9,000 people and causing 10 deaths, including two infants in San Bernardino County. Vaccinating older children not only keeps them healthy, but also prevents the disease from spreading from adolescents to infants and preschoolers, who are at greater risk of serious complications.
Dr. Arteaga urges parents to schedule appointments for their child’s back-to-school examinations as soon as possible. With most Inland Empire children starting school in only a few weeks, a delay could result in children missing school.
Finances need not be a concern.
“Children in families who receive either Medi-Cal or Healthy Families will not be charged for these vaccines,” Dr. Arteaga said. “And for families with no insurance, we can offer this immunization for free through the California Vaccines for Children program.”
The California Vaccines for Children program is a federally funded program. Children who have insurance, but whose insurance doesn’t cover the cost of the vaccine, may also be eligible.
Children starting kindergarten also need immunizations, including a pertussis, tetanus and diphtheria vaccine designed for young children called DTaP. They also need proof of immunization against measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis and Varicella (chicken pox.)
“If parents have kept up with their child’s immunizations from birth, only booster immunizations are needed for kindergarteners,” Dr. Arteaga said. “However, if the child is behind on their other required immunizations, they may need several doses of immunizations to get caught up.”
The LaSalle Medical Associates clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino, and 16455 Main St. in Hesperia.
For additional information about LaSalle Medical Associates, call (909) 890-0407.
