FULTON, Mo. - After lower-than-expected turnouts at a series of recent clinics, the Callaway County Health Department will continue to offer the free pertussis vaccine over the next month, with hopes of carrying on through the start of the school year at the end of August.
Director Sharon Lynch said the health department will be administering the free vaccine - which inoculates against whooping cough as well as tetanus and dyptheria - during SERVE's Back to School Fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 10 at Fulton High School. The shots also will be available on a walk-in basis from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the health department, located at 4950 County Road 304 near Fulton.
"We're only allowed to give it out to the public through the 31st of next month," Lynch said, noting she has applied to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which is sponsoring the free vaccines, "because that will give us through the start of school."
She said the department administered around 200 of the TDAP/pertussis vaccine, which usually costs $40, at clinics in Fulton, Holts Summit and Auxvasse, but she wants to reach more Callaway residents.
"We still need grandparents, pregnant women and anybody coming into contact with children," Lynch said.
She said many people dismiss the necessity of getting vaccinated because many of the illnesses common vaccines protect against are no longer prevalent.
"Immunizations continue to be important, even though people don't realize it because they're so used to (those illnesses) not being around," Lynch said. "(But) if people quit getting the vaccine, it will come back. The vaccine program is there to keep the community healthy."
She said others may not realize the importance of this particular shot because "if it's free, people don't think it's of value."
"People need to come and avail themselves of this so that we're actually doing something good with it and creating a barrier in the community," Lynch said. "Every time an illness runs into someone that's immunized, it stops that path.
"The bottom line is, this is the best method we have of protecting our children. Come and get it while it's available."