Children’s Wisconsin and Children’s Community Health Plan (CCHP) partnered with the City of Milwaukee Health Department to host four free flu clinics in November 2020 at various north and south side Milwaukee Public Schools during meal pick-up times. The Milwaukee Health Department supplied the vaccines and PPE while Children’s and CCHP provided nurses and registration staff, including Children’s school community health nurses, to administer the vaccines.
“We wanted to offer these vaccines at locations that are convenient for families to help make sure our community stays as healthy as possible,” said Mark Rakowski, Chief Operating Officer of Children’s Community Health Plan. “Getting the flu vaccination has a positive domino effect: it contributes to an individual’s health which in turn helps the overall health of the community and helps lower the risk of hospitalization.”
The flu clinics provided nearly 400 immunizations to Milwaukee area residents, increasing access and helping reduce the spread of influenza in our communities. This was especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure residents were protected against other viruses, like the flu – particularly for our underserved community members and those facing pandemic-exacerbated health disparities.