OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Douglas County Health Department says they've had some very encouraging numbers with the recent vaccine clinics held at schools.
It has been focusing vaccine efforts on convenience, holding vaccine clinics at neighborhood schools and they say it's paying off.
Fifty percent of girls and 45% of boys 12 to 17-years old are now fully vaccinated in Douglas County.
“I think it makes them more comfortable and it makes it easier to get,” said Phil Rooney, resource specialist at the Douglas County Health Department. “A lot of people have very busy lives, especially around the time school is starting. If we can make it easy for them to do it, it makes them much more likely to do it and that’s what we’ve been seeing.”
Rooney said the only way to stop the virus from mutating and spreading is to get vaccinated so it doesn't have a host in you to reproduce.
“We really don’t want kids to get sick,” Rooney said. “Even if they only are mildly ill we don’t know what sort of problems that may create down the line for people because we know a lot of folks have long-lasting problems from this that may not become apparent for months or even longer.”
He said it looks like next month the FDA will give the coronavirus vaccine full approval, and he said the vaccine may be approved for 5- to 11-year-olds by the end of October. Both things he is hopeful will encourage more people to get vaccinated.
Douglas County is holding several vaccine clinics this week:
- Tuesday: Holy Name School, 2901 Fontenelle Blvd., 5-7 p.m.
- Wednesday: Progressive Protein, 5102 S. 26th St., 2-5 p.m.
- Thursday: UNO Dodge Campus/Hayden House, 6533 University Drive S, 2-5 p.m. Friday: UNO Dodge Campus/Hayden House, 6533 University Drive S, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
There will be no clinic at the DCHD offices on Friday, due to an in-service day for the staff.
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