MORE KIDS ARE GETTING IMMUNIZED, SAYS SURVEY

Parents are doing a better job of having their children immunized in Cape Girardeau and the state.

A recent Missouri Department of Health survey revealed that 83 percent of all 2-year-olds had up-to-date shot records.

That record immunization rate compares to a statewide rate of 64 percent rate in 1995 and a 78 percent national rate in the most recent survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This increase is an important example of the state's effort to improve children's health with safe, effective preventive care," said Dr. Maureen Dempsey, director of the state health department.

Locally, the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center reported even better numbers during a state audit last month. Jane Wernsman, assistant director, said 93 percent of all 2-year-olds seen by the health department in 1998 had been properly immunized.

That amount does not include children treated by private physicians.

"Over the last three years, Cape County has been above 90 percent for those children," said Wernsman. "We do pretty well because anyone participating in any of our programs, we ask if they have children who need immunizations. The other part that has helped our rate is we have a pretty good follow-up program."

Wernsman said many people immunize their children at the health department because the shots are free and no office visit is charged. The state provides all the vaccines required up to age 2.

Volunteers from Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center also volunteer at the health department each month to remind parents of the importance of timely immunizations.

"If someone schedules an appointment but misses, we have volunteers who come over and do reminder cards for us," said Wernsman. "That has been a big plus, so we're grateful to both hospitals for their efforts to try and keep those rates up."

Through the end of May, health department officials will be performing shot clinics in all public and private schools in the county. The clinics are being held to administer the Hepatitis B three-shot series to nearly 1,000 seventh-graders.

Since 1997, students entering kindergarten have been required to have the series before entering school.

"We're going to be catching that population between the start (of the vaccine requirement) and seventh grade," Wernsman said. "Close to 1,000 children are going to have to be done by school time."

For more information about the shot clinic or immunizations, contact the health department at (573) 335-7846.