SALEM — Promoting vaccination within the community remains a priority for the Salem City Health District.

During the health board’s meeting Tuesday Director of Nursing Chelsea Clark said that the department had 19 office visits and 66 immunizations in March. Of those immunizations 54 were administered to children while 12 were administered to adults, including six flu vaccinations. The bulk of the child vaccinations stemmed from a recent immunization clinic at the high school as part of the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program which administered 37 vaccinations, 19 Menveo meningitis vaccines, and 18 Tdap vaccines which protect from tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis to 21 students. This accounts for roughly 62% of the district’s Spanish speaking students and Clark said that of the 21 students that 13 had Spanish as their first language, with the remaining eight having English as their first language. Clark attributed the success of the clinic chiefly to the efforts of the department’s Hispanic Liaison Pastor Hery Salamanca who visited the homes of all Spanish speaking students to ensure that their paperwork for vaccination was completed in advance.

However, not all the students who signed up for immunization actually participated in the clinic, with approximately six to eight students refusing to come down when called for.

“Some of the students found out they were being called down for vaccination so not everyone who signed up and had their paperwork filled out came down because they’re friends told them it was for a shot,” said Clark.

Clark also noted that the department was initially set to have a follow-up clinic with the school to administer meningitis vaccines because it was found that due to an issue with the school’s reports approximately 50 seniors requiring the vaccine were not identified. However, when the department called to follow up, they were informed that the district’s in-house QUICKmed medical clinic had received its VFC license and would administer the vaccines.

Health Board President Pro-Tempore Judy Sicilia suggested that following recent outbreaks of measles across the state and the nation the department should consider setting up a clinic to administer the MMR vaccines which protects from measles, mumps, and rubella. Sicilia said she knew that “the local children’s hospitals are gearing up for an epidemic and are thinking that [a measles outbreak] could be serious,” and that given the density of populations in the area at risk of being disproportionately impacted in an outbreak that department should also be prepared.

“We have in our community, in addition to our local community of the Hispanic population which may be unvaccinated, in the area some of the sects that are anti-vaccine that are at high risk of acquiring the measles similar to the Mennonites in Texas where the outbreak has become so serious,” said Sicilia. “I’m just thinking at the very least we should be prepared with a plan of action in the event that measles really ramps up in the community, and I would love to see us get ahead of it. I understand the reluctance with vaccinations however I do feel it would be wise for the department to at least be participating and prepared.”

Sicilia also suggested networking with Akron Children’s Hospital so that the department has communication and plans in place to work with them during a possible outbreak response.

“I feel very strongly that a plan in place for response, and a plan for preparedness, for prevention would be brilliant,” said Sicilia.

Sicilia also stressed that the most effective method to protect from measles is prevention, and that the MMR vaccine and MMRV vaccine which also protects from chicken pox are extremely effective, and completely safe. Those who have not received their MMR vaccine can schedule an appointment to receive it from the health department by calling 330-332-1618.

“We just really need to be promoting vaccination of everything; they really are just life savers. These people didn’t live through polio and all those diseases. I always tell people when they’re reluctant to vaccinate once you see the first child die of diphtheria you won’t question vaccines. Maybe you think measles isn’t as critical or chicken pox isn’t, but diphtheria is and its one of them and polio is the same way,” said Sicilia.

The board also discussed a request for the department to sponsor a student project to create a boat for the annual Guilford Lake 4th of July Boat Parade. Clark explained that students are tasked with developing the language to request sponsorships and seeking sponsors to cover the costs of materials to construct their boat and was seeking $50, and that it could serve as an opportunity to promote the department. Sicilia said that while the board was never opposed to helping a child complete a project the department did need to be aware of setting a precedent that it sponsors non-health related projects. The board ultimately decided to each contribute $10 instead, personally donating the requested $50, rather than making an official donation through the department.

Following a roughly hour-long executive session for the discussion and personnel and legal matters the board voted unanimously to offer a full-time position to Clark which would add accreditation and outreach to her currently part-time duties as Director of Nursing at a rate of $24 per hour with benefits. The board also approved updates clarifying language in the department’s flexible scheduling, medical director responsibility, medical management of vaccine reactions in public settings, and after-hours public health emergency policies.

The health Board will meet next at 2 p.m. May 20.