FLORENCE COUNTY HEALTH Department’s public health nurse Ann Price administers vaccines to Florence Elementary student Emma Klumpp at one of the many clinics offered in the county.

FLORENCE, Wis. — The Florence County Health Department offered many immunization clinics this past fall.

Clinics were held at locations around the county: Florence Elementary, Florence Middle and High School, Northeast Wisconsin Technical Center building in Aurora, Fence Town Hall and Florence Community Center. Vaccines administered included 10 Tdap, 10 HPV, 13 Meningoccacal, and 113 influenza.

These clinics offer an easy administration of recommended vaccinations to students and community members as well as an opportunity to exercise the Florence County Health Department’s Mass Clinic Plan and Risk Communication Plan.

To effectively communicate during a crisis, one must know how everyday communications differ from crisis risk communications. This is where the department refers to the Risk Communication Plan.

Effective communication is essential during a crisis, disaster, or emergency. Many of the expected negative individual and community behaviors can be mitigated with effective emergency risk communication.

The department’s Mass Clinic Plans serves as a guide for establishing and operating the actual clinic and can be scaled up or down to meet the needs of the outbreak or disaster.

The immunization clinics offer a way for staff to exercise both plans. This is an opportunity to address strengths and areas for improvement of each clinic through the After Action Report aligned with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

For more information, contact the Florence County Health Department at 715-528-4837.

The Health Department is located on the second floor, 501 Lake Ave., in the Florence County Courthouse, open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed for lunch from noon to 12:30 p.m.