WISCONSIN — With the start of the new school year just a few weeks away for most Wisconsin students, the rush is on for kids and families to catch up on routine and required vaccinations.

"This is a time when we need to get these kids vaccinated and back to school," said Dr. Todd Mahr, a pediatric allergist and immunologist with Gundersen Health System. "This is an important time now because we're post-COVID, so a lot of vaccines actually got delayed [during the pandemic], so we need to get these vaccinations caught up. We don't give vaccinations simply because we have to; we give them because they save lives and they prevent illnesses."

Mahr added that it's beneficial to get children comfortable with the idea of getting shots before their appointments, rather than waiting to talk about it until the day they're scheduled.

"What you don't want to do is scare your child," Mahr said. "You don't want to threaten a vaccine ever or threaten a shot. Let them know we all get these, even as adults, and you had them when you were a child. And while they might hurt a little bit, in general it's a minimal discomfort."

For more information on vaccinating children in Wisconsin, including tips on prepping your kids for their shots or suggested timelines for what shots to get when, click here. 

Watch the full interview above.