The Oneida County Health Department encourages people to get their seasonal flu and COVID vaccinations.
They offer vaccinations at the health department in Rhinelander.
Nurses have also been all over the county setting up vaccination clinics at churches, libraries, schools, and businesses.
“We really try hard to meet people where they're at some people just don't have time to come to us,” said Oneida County Public Health Nurse Jen Tienhaara.
She was one of the nurses vaccinating people at the Hodag Dome Tuesday.
The dome was also the polling place for Rhinelander residents.
“This is really a good thing to have everything one stop shop, vote, get your vaccine, head home, relax for the day, since it's rainy,” said Melissa Bryner, another Oneida County Public Health Nurse that was vaccinating voters.
While not all voters chose to vaccinate, the health department says they were vaccinating people steadily throughout the day.
Nurses were at the polls as long as they were open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Tienhaara says by making vaccinations more accessible, they can boost vaccination rates and protect more people.
“People are busy. You know, we're all busy, and if we can get them where they work or where they're picking their kids up from daycare, it really helps to get people vaccinated that might not take the time to do it otherwise,” said Tienhaara.
The Oneida County Health Department takes many types of insurance. They also have vaccines for people that are underinsured or uninsured.
“[Vaccines] just keep themselves and their families, loved ones healthy. This season, respiratory illness season, whether it's flu, COVID, RSV, pneumonia, we're all going to see all those types of illnesses throughout this winter,” said Bryner.
The Health Department in Rhinelander has a walk-in vaccination clinic Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Support for local health coverage on WXPR is brought to you in part by a grant from the Rhinelander Health Foundation.
