COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)–Columbus Public Health and Columbus City Schools are joining forces to protect kids throughout the city from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Thursday morning they kicked off their new campaign called “Kick Sick” at Arts Impact Middle School.

Their goal is to educate students about the importance of vaccines and to provide parents with opportunities to get their children vaccinated.

Ohio legislation passed last summer requires all 7th and 12th graders to receive a Meningitis vaccination starting with the 2016-2017 school year.

Kate King, Director of Health, Family and Community Services for Columbus City Schools explained why the meningitis vaccine is now required.

“Some colleges did require meningitis vaccinations in order to either go to college or actually live in the dorms.  But that’s really too late for children or young people to get that,” she said..

Dr. Teresa Long, Health Commissioner  for the City of Columbus said meningitis can affect people of all ages.

“We see cases of Meningitis really across our entire community, across age and population. We’re particularly concerned about young people. It could happen in high school. It could happen in college for sure,” said Long.

Some clinics will be held at Columbus City Schools in both April and May to give both the 6th and 11th graders an opportunity to get the meningitis vaccine required before they head back to school in August.