Greene County Public Health recently received a grant to raise awareness and encourage certain groups of people to get the influenza vaccine.

GCPH Director Shelby Cooklin says last year the H5N1 virus, commonly known as the avian flu, made a large impact not only on the bird population when it came to chickens and turkeys, but there were cases where dairy cows and some swine had also contracted the disease. 

“In California, it was affecting dairy cattle and then it was getting into milk and then the dairy cattle farmer workers were getting sick. And same with poultry, there were poultry farmers that were also getting sick from this.”

She invites anyone in Greene County who raises similar livestock to get a flu shot.

“This is just to help kind of reduce the spread, to help keep H5N1 from mutating into something that we don’t have a vaccine for. So, we just really encourage people that are working with those animals to get that vaccine, so that it doesn’t spread from animals to people, and then we have no way to prevent it or treat that virus.”   

Cooklin adds that flu vaccinations can be found in multiple places, including your primary care provider, a medical facility, local pharmacies and through Greene County Public Health. She points out that for individuals who may not have insurance or are under-insured, can still get a flu shot with the Vaccines for Adults program. To schedule an appointment with Public Health, call 515-386-3228.