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Free vaccine program ends
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The Effingham County Health Department is no longer offering certain vaccines free of cost. The state of Georgia received funding through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) over the summer to supply several vaccines, including tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap), to local health departments. The county health departments, in turn, provided the vaccine at no cost to citizens while supplies were available. 
 
“The ARRA funding provided a great opportunity for those living in the Coastal Health District and throughout the state of Georgia to get immunized against certain diseases for no out-of-pocket cost,” said Beth Hausauer, immunization coordinator for the Coastal Health District. “We knew from the beginning that the program would operate for a limited time and, unfortunately, that time has come to an end.”
 
Some of the vaccines offered for free through the ARRA funding (HPV, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B) require more than one dose for full immunization. Anyone who has started a series of any of those vaccines with the health department will be able to complete the series at no cost.  
 
As in the past, the Effingham County Health Department will continue to offer these vaccines at a reasonable cost.
 
“We have affordable vaccines on hand at the health department and encourage the citizens of Effingham County to get immunized against diseases such as pertussis,” Hausauer said. “Getting immunized is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against vaccine preventable diseases.”
 
For immunization information specific to adults and children, go to www.gachd.org and click on “Immunizations and Vaccinations” under Quick Links on the home page.