LifeFairbanks · August 14, 2026
one thing before school starts
Fairbanks parents, the back-to-school measles checkpoint is open now, with clinic hours built for working families.
Daily Alaska staff · August 14, 2026 · Fairbanks
Fairbanks Regional Public Health Center and Chief Andrew Isaac Medical Center are running back-to-school vaccination clinics through Aug. 25, 2026, aimed at closing a gap in Interior vaccination rates as measles cases remain elevated nationally and summer tourism brings more travelers through Alaska.
The Interior starts this school year with vaccination rates below both the state and national averages, and health officials say children catch measles more easily and get hit harder by it than adults. Fairbanks Regional Public Health Center takes walk-ins Wednesdays and Thursdays until 7 p.m., with appointments also available.
Chief Andrew Isaac Medical Center, in Building A, is holding back-to-school clinics on Aug. 12 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 20 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Aug. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Aug. 25 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., plus additional pediatric appointments on weekdays from Aug. 10 through Aug. 21. Children through age 18 who come in for a back-to-school checkup receive a $15 gift card.
Routine vaccination doses come due at kindergarten entry, again at age 11, and again at age 16, so families are encouraged to check their child's record even if they believe it is up to date. The health team has also been running practice drills for possible measles exposures, including in villages across the region.
In this story
Questions people ask
Where can I get my kid's back-to-school measles shot?
Fairbanks Regional Public Health Center takes walk-ins Wednesdays and Thursdays until 7 p.m., and Chief Andrew Isaac Medical Center is running clinics on Aug. 12, 16, 20, 22 and 25, 2026. Both are open through Aug. 25.
Do kids get anything for getting a back-to-school checkup?
Kids through age 18 get a $15 gift card for coming in.
When do vaccination shots come due again?
At kindergarten entry, again at age 11, and again at age 16.
Why the big push for measles shots right now?
Measles rates are up nationally and summer tourism brings travelers through Alaska, while Interior vaccination rates are below state and national averages.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- Fairbanks Regional Public Health Center takes walk-ins Wednesdays and Thursdays until 7 p.m. · alaskasnewssource.com
- Chief Andrew Isaac Medical Center is running back-to-school clinics through Aug. 25, 2026, including evening and weekend times. · alaskasnewssource.com
- Kids through age 18 get a $15 gift card for a back-to-school checkup. · alaskasnewssource.com
- Interior vaccination rates are below state and national averages going into this school year. · alaskasnewssource.com
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