News

RESIDENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREE FLU SHOTS

By Ezra Mann/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Saturday, November 8, 2008 12:09 AM CST

While few adults will argue that getting a flu vaccine is a good idea, for a few brief moments it’s nigh impossible to convince a child of that fact with a needle approaching.

Aubrea Armitage, 4, cries in the arms of her grandmother, Aleene Smith, as a nurse prepares to give Armitage a flu shot Friday afternoon at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. Pine Bluff Commercial/Ralph Fitzgerald

A few tears rolled down the faces of children receiving free flu shots Friday during a special one-day clinic at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.

Residents came at a steady pace to take advantage of free shots. By noon, 734 individuals had taken advantage of services donated by the Arkansas Department of Health and the Jefferson School of Nursing, said Tyrone Tidwell, administrator for the Jefferson County Local Health Department.

By the end of the day, all 1,530 doses available were given out, Tidwell said.

“This is a chance to practice our mass dispensing plan and see what needs tweaking,” added Tidwell, who noted that the event has been held at the convention center for a few years. “I had the flu once and that was enough to get me vaccinated every year after that.”

Children weren’t quite convinced.

Cameron and Aubrea Armitage, four year old twins, were definitely not in the mood for the shot, but were consoled by their grandmother, Aleene Smith. By the time they were given candy, the two were all smiles.

Smith said she didn’t have more than a 10-minute wait for the shots. The one-day clinic was a great service to residents and helped her out since she does not have health insurance, Smith said.

“It’s great how they zoom you in and out,” said retired resident Leroy Kagebein, who came with his wife, Maxie Kagebein. “I haven’t even had a cold in years since they started doing this.”

Blake Connell came with his sister-in-law, Alisha Todd, as well as her son Parker Todd, 2.

Parker didn’t seem to think he needed the shot and was still going on about the experience after it was over.

Connell, who works at Thompson Wireless in White Hall, said it was his first year at the mass clinic and wanted to make sure he was prepared for his family.

There were 23 volunteers from the school of nursing, most of them level 2 nursing students. The event was also used as a way to help improve the skills and confidence of those offering their time, said Tonya Trucks, instructor at the school.

“Preventative practice and immunizations are vital for keeping residents productive,” added Trucks, who also said proper and regular hand washing was a good way to keep healthy. “I’m glad we’ve been invited to be a part of this.”

Print this story   |   Email this story