It may still be summer vacation, but experts say that now is the time to start preparing students to head back to school – including protecting them from preventable diseases.

“Making sure that kids have a back-to-school visit with their family physician is important,” says Dr. Jen Brull, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Brull says that a late-summer doctor visit can help ensure children are up to date on their immunizations. Doctors say vaccines all work differently and it can take weeks for the protection from illnesses to develop.

“When school-age kids get their vaccinations on time and before they go to school, they're less likely to catch things at school,” says Brull.

One of the latest concerns is measles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in March issued an alert about a rise in measles cases in the United States. There are a total of 167 measles cases reported in 24 states this year alone.

“It is frightening and we wanna make sure that families – and particularly families who have children - know that those illnesses are preventable with vaccines that are available in your family physician's office every day,” says Brull.

Which vaccinations a child should be getting will vary based on age. Brull says parents should also start thinking about protecting kids against the flu and COVID-19.

“I think it's important for everyone to know that vaccines are incredibly safe,” says Brull.

The American Academy of Family Physicians says that any parent concerned about or who has questions about vaccines should talk to their primary care physician who can answer any questions.