GREENSBORO – Though classes just let out for summer break, students and parents are already looking ahead to next school year.

As a rising sixth grader, Spencer Otten’s mom Lisa says her son is facing a number of firsts, including "This is going to be the first year he's going to be riding the bus."

But one thing Otten says they didn't expect was another round of vaccines. He, like thousands of other kids across the state, are now required to get a tetanus shot before entering middle school.

So Lisa took her son to their local Health Department Friday for a free immunization clinic.

"The new law is a requirement to have a tetanus booster which is called T-dap. It has a pertussis component in the vaccine," said Guilford County Health Department nurse, Vonda Pabon.

Also known as whooping cough, Pabon says it’s a disease that seems to be making a come back.

"There have been many cases of whooping cough. From January to March of this year, N.C. has had 39 reported cases,” she said. “Last year there were 321 cases in N.C. It's very, very communicable, highly contagious, causes violent coughing spasms, can fracture ribs, even cause death."

Pabon warns the law also requires kids have their second MMR, or mumps, measles and rubella shot before the new school year.

"Because immunity wanes over a period of time the CDC and other researchers have indicated that it's time for a booster," she said.

Children who are going to be 12-years old on or after August 1, as well as first time college students, are required to get the booster.

The Guilford County Health Department is holding another T-dap vaccine clinic Tuesday, July 22, at Lane Drug Store on Martin Luther King Drive from 1-4 p.m.

To make an appointment or for more information call (336) 641-7777.