Our Approach to Vaccines

At Covenant Care Pediatrics, we strongly recommend that children receive vaccines according to immunization schedules developed through decades of clinical research and pediatric practice.

As pediatricians, we stay closely engaged with the medical and scientific literature on vaccines. Based on this evidence and our experience caring for children in our community, we believe vaccines are safe and effective, and that the risks of vaccine-preventable diseases — many of which remain present in the United States and globally — outweigh any risks of vaccination.

Our recommendations reflect what we believe to be the safest and most effective approach for protecting children from preventable disease.

This is the same approach we follow for our own children.

We have no financial relationship with any vaccine manufacturer.

We view vaccines as a remarkable gift that works with the body’s natural defenses to protect against serious illness and complications.

We also understand that vaccines can raise thoughtful questions for families. Parents have the responsibility of making medical decisions for their children, and we respect that role. Our responsibility is to provide clear, evidence-based information, share our professional recommendations, and partner with families in caring for each child with compassion, integrity, and respect.

Families Who Decline or Delay Vaccines

While we encourage full vaccination based on established medical evidence, we recognize that some families may choose to decline certain vaccines or follow an alternate schedule.

We may allow some families to decline specific vaccines or follow an alternate schedule and remain patients in our practice, provided that they agree to the practice guidelines outlined below. These guidelines are designed to support safe, effective care for their children and for all patients in our practice, especially newborns and children with medical vulnerabilities.

Parents who decline, delay, or follow an alternate vaccine schedule are required to review and agree to our vaccine policies and practice guidelines.

Vaccine Expectations At a Glance

Parents who decline, delay, or follow an alternate vaccine schedule agree to:

Keep records updated
Know your child’s vaccine history and the schedule you’ve chosen.

Decide before visits
Decide before the visit which vaccines you plan to give that day.

Vaccine-only visits may have a fee
Vaccines given outside well visits may require a separate visit and charge.

Tell other healthcare providers
Urgent care, ERs, and advice lines should know if your child is unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

Seek care when advised
If our office or another healthcare professional recommends evaluation, please follow that guidance.

Call before coming in when sick
You may be asked to wait in your car or seek care elsewhere to protect vulnerable patients.

Keep well-child visits
Regular checkups are still required, even if vaccines are declined or delayed.

Sign the required forms
Vaccine declination forms must be reviewed and signed at each visit when vaccines are due.

Report exposures before entering
Notify us of exposure to illnesses like measles or whooping cough before coming into the office.

We will continue to discuss immunization recommendations at future visits, especially when vaccines are due. These conversations are part of our responsibility to provide ongoing medical guidance and are intended to support informed decision-making.

Medical exemptions from vaccination are granted only when a child meets established medical criteria. We do not provide exemptions in the absence of a valid medical indication.

We welcome thoughtful questions about vaccines. When additional time is needed beyond a routine visit, separate consultation time may be scheduled and billed as a medical service, consistent with standard healthcare practices. Insurance coverage varies by plan.

Our policies are designed to support safe, compassionate care for every child in our practice.

👉 View our full vaccine policies and agreement

👉 Learn more about vaccines and the diseases they prevent