March at Macon County Health Department

by Macon County Health Department

Happy March!

It is National Nutrition month and we will be sharing nutrition information on our Facebook page throughout the month. We are here to support your nutrition needs through education and free counseling for those who are interested. If you’re interested in nutrition counseling, call 660-395-4711 and ask for Erin, or send me an email at emain@maconmohealth.org.

Here is what is happening at the Health Department this month:

1. WIC certifications and reloads on Mondays and Tuesdays by appointment. If you missed your recent appointment or need one scheduled, you can call our office! WIC issued a temporary increase to the cash value benefit through September 2023, so if you have WIC benefits, make sure you come in to our office to change them before using February benefits. If you have been considering signing up for WIC, the increased cash value benefit is a great incentive to get signed up!

2. Clinical services such as blood draws, injections, TB tests (Monday and Tuesday only), and blood pressure checks are offered throughout the week.

3. Cholesterol and blood sugar screenings – on the first and third Thursday of the month for $20. It is recommended to be fasting for this test to get the best results.

4. Immunizations – we have required and recommended vaccinations for adults and children. We still have flu vaccinations for everyone ages 6 months and up, as well as pneumonia and shingles for adults. Our nurses are knowledgeable to help answer questions about what you might be due for and eligible for to help keep your immunizations up-to-date.

a. We accept most insurance for vaccinations. We have vaccine for children and 317 vaccines available for uninsured and underinsured adults for some vaccines.

b. Medicare part D now covers the cost of shingles and tdap! Call for us to check eligibility or stop by for these important immunizations!

5. COVID-19 immunizations are available daily, walk in or by appointment. Our highly knowledgeable nurses are able to answer questions or concerns on these immunizations as well as check eligibility if you are due for anything to remain up-to-date. We carry COVID-19 immunizations and bivalent boosters for ages 6 months and up.

mRNA vaccines
i. Moderna Primary – ages 6 months and up

ii. Moderna Bivalent boosters – ages 6 months and up

iii. Pfizer primary – ages 12 and up

iv. Pfizer bivalent booster – ages 12 and up

Johnson & Johnson – ages 18 and up

IdentoGO services such as fingerprinting for background checks and passport photos are offered Monday-Thursday from 9 am – 5 pm. You must register online for these services.

Upcoming classes

7. Safe Sitter: A class for students in grades 6-8 to help them learn the important skills to stay home alone and for babysitting. The class will be on April 6, 2023 from 9-3 pm at the Health Department. Students should bring a sack lunch. Class size is limited and registration is required by March 21st, class registration is $40. To learn more about safe sitter, visit our website www.maconmohealth.org/safesitter

8. Prenatal class: This 2-part class will be April 5th and 6th from 4-5 pm and discuss topics such as prenatal nutrition, newborn care, breastfeeding, car seat safety, immunizations and more. This free class is full of useful information for soon-to-be parents!

9. CPR class: We are holding an American Heart Association CPR/AED/First aid certification course on Saturday, May 20th starting at 8:30 am. This class is open to the public and costs $40 for the 2-year certification. Registration for this class is required, call to register by May 4th

Stop by our office or make any appointment by calling 660-395-4711.