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Graves begins drive to immunize Kansans
Last Modified:
1:27 a.m. 11/13/2001
By John Milburn
The Associated Press
Sporting
a Bugs Bunny Band-Aid, Gov. Bill Graves was pronounced immunized Tuesday.
The governor rolled
up his sleeve to give himself protection from the flu and to encourage
Kansans to put their health first.
"That was
painless," Graves said.
Members of the
Kansas Immunization Action Coalition used a news conference to encourage
Kansans to be proactive in preventing flu and other infectious diseases.
"Immunization
is not just for kids," said Laura Sidlinger, a registered nurse and
a coalition volunteer. "Immunizations are for a lifetime."
Sidlinger immunized
Graves, Senate President Dave Kerr, Senate Majority Leader Lana Oleen and
Health and Environment Secretary Clyde Graeber. Kerr received a major
league baseball bandage; Oleen, one with Daffy Duck, and Graeber, one
with crayons.
Graeber said all
Kansans older than 65 and those in special risk categories should be
vaccinated against flu, pneumonia and Hepatitis B. Currently, supplies at
clinics and county health agencies are adequate to meet the demand.
KDHE worked with
health care agencies to identify priority individuals for receiving flu
shots, Graeber said. Now, the rest of the population is being encouraged
to get their shots.
Efforts in the past
decade to heighten awareness have paid off. Flu vaccination levels have
increased from 30 percent in 1989 to 63 percent in 1997, Graeber said. In
addition, every $1 spent on immunizing older adults can save $30 in
health care costs.
"Immunizations
are one of the great public health stories of the 20th Century,"
Graeber said. "They have made once common diseases, diseases of the
past."
Graves, whose
daughter Katie was immunized last week, said immunization is a matter
that adults should take seriously for the health of themselves and
others.
"I come in
contact with literally thousands of Kansans during the winter months and
flu season," Graves said. "This is something that I need to
make sure that I'm healthy and able to perform my duties over the course
of the upcoming, very difficult legislative session."
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