http://www.state.sd.us/doh/News/2003/Jerauld.htm

News from the South Dakota Department of Health

FOR RELEASE: May 28, 2003

CONTACT: Doneen Hollingsworth

605-773-3737

Governor recognizes Jerauld County for childhood immunization success

WESSINGTON SPRINGS – Governor Mike Rounds presented awards Wednesday to the Jerauld County Clinic and the Jerauld County Community Health Office for their outstanding accomplishments in childhood immunization. Governor Rounds and his staff were in Wessington Springs for Capital for a Day.

“Jerauld County has done a fantastic job of immunizing kids as infants and preschoolers when they’re most vulnerable to measles, diphtheria, whooping cough and other serious diseases,” said Governor Rounds. “This county shows a real commitment to protecting it children from infectious disease and has set an example for the rest of the state to follow.”

Jerauld County providers have already met the state goal of age-appropriately immunizing 90% of children, said Secretary of Health Doneen Hollingsworth. Age-appropriate immunization by two is defined as 4 doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, 3 doses of polio vaccine, and 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.

The Health Department’s immunization program measures progress toward the goal each year by reviewing the immunization records of every kindergarten student in the state. The 2002-2003 survey found that 94% of Jerauld County kindergartners had been appropriately immunized as two-year-olds.

“Jerauld County has met that 90% goal for the past three years, the only county to do so,” said Hollingsworth. “And when we look at survey data from our immunization registry for today’s two-year-olds, Jerauld County has immunized 100% of its children. That’s a remarkable achievement.”