The goals of the Immunization Program are to prevent or control vaccine preventable communicable diseases. The primary focus of this program is to administer and/or assure that the basic series of Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTP); Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR); Haemophilus Influenza Type B, and Hepatitis B vaccines according to protocols. The secondary goal is to reduce communicable disease. Public health nurses enforce the immunizations required by law through their participation in community and private daycare centers and the public and private schools, case managing clients who come to the Health Department for immunizations, and assuring that private providers are aware of current recommendations for immunizations. The private providers forward a roster of all childhood and adolescent state supplied vaccines given in their facilities and the Health Department staff enters this data, as well as their own immunization data into the NC Immunization Registry. Any child under the age of two found to be delinquent in required vaccines is followed up to assure he/she receives the proper vaccinations.
93% of the county’s children two years old have met immunization requirements in a timely manner according to the last Immunization Rate Assessment done for 2002 and is completed by Immunization State Consultants on a yearly basis. North Carolina’s average immunization was 69% last year.
The Roxboro Kiwanis Club, the Roxboro Golden K (retired Kiwanians), local restaurants, such as McDonald’s and Pizza Hut have been instrumental in assisting the department in achieving these goals by offering incentives and information materials to be given to parents and children.
A Hepatitis B Immunization Program for Sixth Graders at the middle schools was implemented in the school year of 1995. This program has provided the Hepatitis B Vaccination series and Hepatitis B health education information to students. The education and the vaccine series is actually given in the schools. There has been good participation in each of the middle schools with an average of 80% of eligible students participating. This program will continue two more years when the students entering sixth grade will have had Hepatitis B vaccines as babies.
Immunization education for all age groups is incorporated into health information that is shared with clients, etc, in each health department clinic. Appropriate immunizations are assessed and offered in each clinic. The health department also conducts appropriate community-based outreach activities.
The Immunization Program is also responsible for assuring appropriate control measures through NC laws using the current guidelines for testing, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and prevention of transmission for each vaccine preventable disease. The health department staff works closely with the Regional Immunization Consultant when a vaccine preventable disease is suspected.