Walk-in immunizations and new staff at Gila County Nursing

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Gila County’s Public Health Department Nursing Services has convenient no appointment-necessary walk-in immunizations during morning hours, afternoon appointments, and new full-time staff hired to provide countywide service.

Not just for kids, Gila County Nursing Services offers free vaccinations to everyone 18 years of age and under, with no co-pay or office visit fee required. Immunization services are vital; Gila County Nursing Services works closely with local schools to provide training and support to ensure children have a healthy, successful school year.

Gila County District 2 Supervisor Tim Humphrey welcomes the new staffers and complimented the department for serving local patients and clients.

“Anticipating a busy season by hiring new staff and scheduling convenient hours for walk-in immunization shows our commitment to customer service – and I’m proud of Gila County’s Public Health Department Nursing Services for these initiatives,” Humphrey said. “Health education, preventative care and public outreach with immunization reminders help keep Gila County residents healthy and safe.”

Two new full-time hires joined the nursing division: Sean Pollock serving the Globe-Miami-San Carlos community, and Michele Middleton in Payson.

“Protecting your child with vaccines helps decrease outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases like pertussis, measles and mumps that do occur in this country,” said Ginnie Scales, health services program manager for Gila County Health and Emergency Management.

“Immunizations have a big impact on improving health of children in the United States. Fortunately, few parents or guardians ever have to see the potentially deadly consequences these diseases can have on a child.”

Scales and her staff provide all required school immunizations for kindergarten-through-sixth grade. Going the extra mile, they offer other recommended vaccines such as Meningococcal B and Tdap. Scales explains that the Meningococcal B vaccine is now recommended for children ages 16-18 looking ahead to college. Released in 2014, this protects against Meningococcal B, which has been responsible for outbreaks between 2013 and 2016, some deadly, at college campuses throughout the U.S. Tdap is now recommended for anyone who has previously not received the vaccine, pregnant women during their third trimester (each pregnancy), and family and caregivers around small infants. “These diseases may not be common in the U.S., however, they are still endemic in many parts of the world,” said Scales.

Services at the Globe Health Department, located at 5515 S. Apache Ave. Ste. 100 in Globe, are available for walk-in patients during morning hours, and by appointment during afternoons. Also available are family planning, wellness and other health-related programs.

For more information, call 928-402-8811.