Harrison County Health Department

IMMUNIZATIONS

The immunization program at the Harrison County Health Department serves all residents of the county. Immunizations are offered on Friday without appointments and other days by appointment. Immunizations are also given at WIC and Well- Child Clinics. 

The health department orders vaccine from the Vaccine For Children Program.  By using VFC vaccine certain rules must be followed, such as which clients are eligible.  For example, Prevnar is only made available to Medicaid-eligible clients.

The vaccine Tdap has been added to adolescents 11 through 18 as their booster dose of Td.  This added dose of pertussis is due to an increase in cases of pertussis (whooping cough) in the U.S.  We have also started giving the combination MMR/V (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, chicken pox) to children one year of age.  This will also be used for their 2^nd dose at school age.

The health department strongly believes in the importance of timely immunizations for the children of the county.  The staff works very hard to ensure parents are aware of the immunization status of their children.  The department works with the schools and daycares to make sure that immunizations remain current until adulthood.  As an aid to children in Harrison County the health department furnished college-bound students with the Meningococcal vaccine the last three years.  This program has been received very well and will be continued in 2007.  In 2006 over $61,000 worth of vaccine was received by the health department. 

Adults can receive Td (tetanus-diphtheria) and Influenza immunizations thru the health department.  This year Pneumonia shots were offered through our office for the 4th season. 53 people took advantage of this vaccine.  As it is well received, the department plans on offering it again in 2007.  The health office spent approximately $13,000 on influenza and pneumonia vaccine this year.  We also obtained influenza vaccine from the vaccines for children program.  A total of 878 influenza and 53 pneumonia shots were given this season. 

Immunizations are critical in protecting the health of the population. It only takes one outbreak in an unimmunized population to remind us of the extreme importance of keeping immunizations up to date.

Paula Ragan

Immunization Coordinator

2006 Immunization Statistics

Immunizations Given  1,634

Flu shots given  878

Meningitis    47

Pneumonia shots given  53