KDHE Vaccinates State Employees Against Seasonal Flu

Nearly 2,400 state employees took Don't Let Flu Bug U, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's seasonal flu campaign, to heart last week. On December 7 and 8, KDHE provided free flu shots at a two-day clinic in the Curtis State Office Building in Topeka.

Vaccinations were also available at the KDHE regional offices in Dodge City, Lawrence and Wichita on December 7 and in Chanute, Hays and Salina on December 8.

"We are very pleased with the turnout and the teamwork that resulted in a very successful clinic and exercise," said Gail Hansen, State Epidemiologist and clinic coordinator. "One of our goals in vaccinating state employees was to ensure that there will be sufficient staffing in state government should a regional flu outbreak occur."

Hansen said that KDHE also used the clinics as an exercise for conducting large-scale vaccinations in case of a public health emergency.

The flu shots were provided in cooperation with the Shawnee County Health Agency, along with HealthQuest and the Kansas Health Policy Authority. The Kansas Highway Patrol provided the clinic site in Hays.

By The Kansas department of health and environment