Public Health awarded

Weston County Public Health was recently awarded the 2020 Assessment Feedback Incentive Exchange/Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers Assessment Award by the Wyoming Department of Health, according to information provided by Weston County Public Health Nurse Lori Bickford. 
“The award recognizes public vaccine program clinics whose team has been successful in achieving immunization coverage levels of 80% or greater during 2019 immunization quality improvement site visits,” the release states. 
According to Bickford, Weston County Public Health was able to achieve 100% in the childhood seven vaccine series coverage for children 24 to 35 months of age with no missed opportunities, and 100% in adolescent, 13 years, coverage for HPV and meningococcal vaccine coverage.
“This was an incredible achievement for my staff to attain in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis,” Bickford said, noting that the state department of health experienced a 42% decline in vaccinations reported in April compared to last year. 
“This trend was seen nationwide and not just in the state of Wyoming. According to Jude Aiden, Immunization Unit manager, the pandemic has resulted in the postponement of routine well child visits which typically include vaccines,” Bickford said. “The concern is that if children do not receive routine vaccines they need to prevent other dangerous disease then we could see outbreaks with diseases such as pertussis and measles.”
For anyone in need of scheduled immunizations, Bickford can be reached at 746-4775.