Barnes County offers flu shots, drills

VALLEY CITY, N.D. — About 140 people came through the drive-through to get flu shots, not hamburgers.

“The North Department of Health wants us to conduct drills to see how fast we can vaccinate a population,” City-County Health District administrative services coordinator Betty Olson said of Friday’s drive-through in Valley City.

The health district killed two birds with one stone by administering flu shots at the Barnes County Highway Department and practicing emergency preparedness procedures. Shots were given for seasonal flu, not the H1N1 strain.

“This is a drill for emergency preparedness, so we can be certain if we had to administer a vaccine, oral, antiviral or antibiotic, we’d be able to immunize the population,” said Theresa Will, the City-County Health District director. “This seasonal flu vaccine is used as an exercise so we could immunize-prophylactize the entire county if we had to.”

Will said the practice was for any possible public health emergency, including pandemics, biowar attack or flood-related infections.

She described the turnout as “disappointing,” but if the need arises, county residents can rest assured county employees take the task seriously.

Barnes County administrative assistant Julie Nelson took time off work to pitch in as a non-medical volunteer.

“I think people in the community should get involved in emergency disaster preparedness in this day and age,” Nelson said.

Tags: north dakota, valley city, barnes county, flu shot, news, drill