CareVan Gives North Lawndale a Shot in the Arm
October 2, 2009 – As the calendar turns to October and the temperatures drop, it’s beginning to look a lot like fall. Unfortunately, it also marks the beginning of flu season. In order to preemptively strike at the flu bug, North Lawndale Adult Transition Center (ATC) has formed a partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health to provide the Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois CareVan at the facility every month. This van offers flu shots and hepatitis vaccinations to the residents and staff at North Lawndale. Case Manager Sakita Moore, who oversees the vaccination program at North Lawndale, notes that the facility has taken full advantage. “The van is very easy to work with,” Moore said. “The guys get up and then line up and receive their shots. It’s a wonderful program. Even the staff takes advantage of it.” The hepatitis vaccine, commonly known as Twinrix, is a series of shots that immunizes against both the A and B strands of the virus. For a population like the residents of North Lawndale, this particular vaccine is even more important to prevent the spread of disease. “When you work with this population, a lot of the guys have had a history of abusing illegal drugs and high-risk sexual behavior, which puts them more at risk,” North Lawndale Operations Chief Debra Higens said. “It’s important to protect these guys because most of them normally don’t go to a doctor.” The Twinrix vaccine comes in three doses, the second follows one month after the initial dose, while the third is five months after that. In order to complete the vaccination, a patient must have all three shots. In the confined environment of the ATC, the staff is able to ensure that all residents receive the requisite shots. The flu shots are also important to prevent the spread of illness throughout the facility. “One year, someone came in with chicken pox and we had to shut down the building and vaccinate everybody,” Moore said. “There were no visitors in or out for 30 days. We want to prevent that from happening.” So as the leaves begin to fall and the flu bug makes its way through the city, the residents and staff at North Lawndale can rest assured that they won’t face its wrath. --David Dexter
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