MACON, Ga. — Siblings Madison Keller, Ella-Grace Tate, and Landry Tate are getting ready to go back to school.
"I'm excited to, like, see all my friends again," says Madison.
"I like to read and do math and paint," says Landry.
All three got their required vaccinations when they were younger, like their new brother, Harrison.
"When they're babies, they have a lot more shots — like Harrison had his four-month checkup today and he got a round of shots," says their mom, Brittany Tate.
Ella-Grace says she doesn't mind getting shots, and mom says not all her kids are so fearless, but she encourages them to fight through the sting of the syringe.
"Shots are very important to us. We want to keep our kids healthy, and the kids, that they go to school with healthy, and we don't want to start spreading things that aren't necessary," says Brittany.
Georgia law requires all children entering public or private schools to be immunized against about a dozen diseases, including hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox just to name a few.
Pediatrician Jason Smith with Primary Pediatrics says while most kids these days are vaccinated, those who aren't can pose a threat. They could potentially expose kids who haven't gotten all their immunizations to a deadly disease.
"We have a schedule from the CDC and we follow that schedule. For the most part, you have everything you need by the time you're 4 so you can start school," says Smith. "It's important for the whole herd -- so everybody -- to get vaccinated to keep us all safe."
But there are two types of exemptions from vaccines: medical and religious.
Last year, we reported that between 2013 and 2017, religious exemptions in the North Central Health District had increased from less than 1 percent to more than 7 percent.
But unless you fall into those two categories, you still have a little time to get to the doctor's office before the start of the school year.
A parent or guardian must submit a valid certificate of immunization for any child entering a school or childcare for the first time.
State code says children without a valid certificate can attend that school for no more than 90 calendar days unless their parent or guardian proves they are getting those immunizations, that they're scheduled, or they have a religious or medical exemption.