Menu
Red Willow County Health Department treating second generation of clients
McCOOK,Nebraska -- Keri Waddle of Bartley, Nebraska, was a nervous wreck. It was time for her two-month-old daughter, Ezri Anne, Waddle's first child, to get her vaccinations and her momma was a little nervous. So was her Dad, Clayton Waddle, superintendent at Southwest Public Schools, who came with his wife and daughter to the Red Willow County Health Department. Despite her mommy-jitters, Keri said she felt better coming to RWCHD. "I know she's in good hands here, getting the right dosages and medicine," Keri said, a guidance counselor at Southwest Elementary and a member of the RWCHD board of advisors.
Her husband agreed. "We feel comfortable here, because we know they specialize in vaccinations." They were right: in 2011-2012, RWCHD administered 3,730 vaccines to 1,919 clients. Of those vaccines, 2,539 free vaccines were given, including 921 children who had no insurance, were underinsured or were enrolled in Medicaid or Kids Connection. Red Willow County Health Department was created by a majority vote of the people in 1974 and began offering immunizations shortly after, with monthly vaccine clinics since that time. The current staff has an average of 20 years experience working with the immunization program.
"We have been doing this for so long we are now providing services to second generation children," said Terry Stevens, Immunization Data Coordinator. "We feel a special bond with our families and are very happy to continue to offer our vaccine clinics."
RWCHD, along with clinics across the nation, will celebrate National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) beginning April 20. The annual observance highlights the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and to celebrate the achievements of immunization programs in promoting healthy communities throughout the United States. Some diseases that used to cause death or seriously impair a child for life have been controlled or completely eradicated.
But vaccine-preventable diseases still circulate in the United States and around the world, so continued vaccination is necessary to protect everyone from potential outbreaks. Even when diseases are rare in the U.S., they can be brought into the country, putting un-vaccinated children at risk. One example of the seriousness of vaccine-preventable diseases is the increase in whooping cough (pertussis) cases or outbreaks that have been reported in a majority of states during 2012. Today, there are cases in every state, and the country is on track to have the most reported cases since 1959. As of November 2012, more than 35,000 cases have been reported across the United States, including 16 deaths. The majority of these deaths were among infants younger than three months of age.
Pam Klug, R.N., Immunization Coordinator at RWCHD states that "By proper immunization practices, we are now able to prevent 14 different 'vaccine preventable diseases.'A fully vaccinated child should have received a total of 28 vaccinations in about 14 different visits, by the time they turn two years old. These vaccines have been proven to be a safe and effective way to keep children healthy."
Information about children's vaccines and appointments can be obtained by calling or stopping by the Red Willow Co. Health Dept. at 1400 W. Fifth in the Ag complex at the Red Willow Country fairgrounds, where services continue to be offered. Phone numbers are 308-345-1790 or 877-250-2057.