Smooth clinics / LJWorld.com

Letters to the Editor

By Dan Partridge - director, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department

November 7, 2009

To the editor:

On Oct. 21, the first public H1N1 influenza A clinic in the state of Kansas was held on the campus of Haskell Indian Nations University. The support that Haskell staff provided the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department was exceptional. Deb Thompson and her safety team were particularly helpful. I cannot overemphasize how hard-working and easy to work with they were. Whenever adjustments needed to be made and regardless of the challenge, Haskell’s response was, “We can do that.”

The following week, our second public clinic was held at the Douglas County Fairgrounds and again the community responded. One example of our community coming together was how, as the fairgrounds parking lots filled to overflowing, community volunteers, city staff, the Douglas County undersheriff and the former adjutant general for the state of Kansas jumped in to direct traffic and get everyone parked.

Meanwhile, as the clinic opened up 18 vaccination lanes run by health department staff, along with Lawrence Memorial Hospital staff and volunteers from Kansas University, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, the city of Lawrence and Douglas County, we were able to eliminate that long line within a couple of hours.

On behalf of health department staff and the board of health, I thank everyone involved in helping us vaccinate more than 1,800 children and more than 2,900 people overall. Your assistance has set the standard for future H1N1 clinics.