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City-County Health Department Receives 2010 Immunization Coverage Levels Award

By Rachel Ousley

Story Created: Jul 20, 2011 at 5:36 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jul 20, 2011 at 5:37 PM MDT

In recent years Montana has been ranked last in the country for child immunizations. However, the City-County Health Department in Great Falls just received an award for child immunization coverage levels.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presented the health department with the 2010 Immunization Coverage Levels Award. During an annual random assessment of child immunization records for 58 clinics, only two had 90% of kids up to date with their shots.

Jill Boettcher is a Public Health Nurse. She explains the random checks included four DTaP shots (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), one MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and one chicken pox vaccine called the varicella vaccine. The City County Health Department is one of only two clinics presented with the award.

Cascade County Health Officer, Alicia Thompson, says, “many people don't realize that every year in Montana we have cases of vaccine preventable diseases”. She adds the most common is influenza. She says nationally about 40,000 people in the US will die annually from influenza. This is why vaccines are so important for children, adults, and the elderly, they protect you from unnecessary suffering and possible death.

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