Believe in Better Protection: Vaccinations save lives — at every age.

At Sparta Community Hospital, we believe in better prevention, better protection, and better health for every generation.
As families settle into fall routines, now is the perfect time to schedule your annual wellness visit — and make sure your vaccinations are up to date.

A Growing Concern Across the Nation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that more U.S. kindergartners are entering school without all recommended vaccines than ever before. In fact, 3.6% of kindergartners had at least one vaccine exemption in the 2024–2025 school year — the highest rate ever recorded.

When vaccination rates fall, preventable diseases like measles, mumps, and whooping cough can spread quickly. Even one case introduced into a classroom can cause widespread illness, putting infants, seniors, and others with weakened immune systems at greater risk.

Why Vaccinations Matter — For Everyone

Vaccines aren’t just for children. Immunity can fade over time, and new vaccines are developed to protect against evolving illnesses. Adults benefit from staying current just as much as kids do — helping to reduce the spread of flu, pneumonia, shingles, and other preventable infections that tend to peak during the fall and winter months.

Vaccination remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect not only yourself, but also your family, coworkers, and neighbors.

Use Your Annual Wellness Visit as a Check-In

Annual wellness visits are designed to focus on prevention — not just treatment. These visits give your provider the opportunity to review your vaccination record, identify any updates that may be needed, and discuss overall health goals like nutrition, activity, and stress management.

For many families, it’s also the most convenient way to get caught up on vaccines — since most immunizations can be given right in the same appointment.

Vaccines by Age

For Children and Teens:
MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) • DTaP/Tdap • Polio • Varicella (chickenpox) • HPV • Annual flu and COVID-19

For Adults:
Annual flu and COVID-19 vaccines • Tdap booster every 10 years • Shingles (50+) • Pneumonia (65+ or with chronic conditions)

Keeping up with these recommended vaccines helps protect against illness, reduce complications, and minimize time away from school or work.

Affordable Access for Families

Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective ways to stay healthy — and for most people, they’re also low or no cost.

  • Children: Sparta Community Hospital participates in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which provides vaccines at no cost to eligible children through age 18. This ensures every child — regardless of insurance status — can receive the protection they need to stay healthy and ready to learn.

  • Adults: Most commercial insurance plans cover recommended vaccines as part of preventive care with no out-of-pocket cost when received from an in-network provider.

  • Medicare:

    • Medicare Part B covers vaccines like flu, pneumococcal, hepatitis B (for higher-risk individuals), and COVID-19.

    • Medicare Part D covers all other recommended adult vaccines, such as shingles and Tdap, often at little or no cost.

To schedule your annual wellness visit or learn more about vaccinations, call 618-443-1DOC (1362).