Ohio Department Of Health Director, Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, today stressed the importance of childhood vaccinations, including the brand new RSV vaccine that will be available soon, during a press conference centered on back to school issues for children and students.

He opened his remarks with some good news. While COVID is still an issue; the number of cases and hospitalizations are way down, compared to last year. In addition, he says the new RSV vaccine is a major breakthrough that can help keep very young children and infants safe from an illness that last year sent many children in Ohio to the hospital.

For more detailed information on why the new RSV vaccine is a welcome tool for combatting a potentially severe illness, he talked with Dr. Michael Forbes, Chief Academic Officer at Akron Children's Hospital. 

Children's mental health was also a focus, and an issue that Vanderhoff addressed with Dr. Mary Carol Burkhardt, Associate Division Director for Primary Care at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Click below to watch the entire press conference, and learn more about what you can do to ensure your children stay healthy both mentally and physically, as they get ready to go back to school in a few weeks.