ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — At least twice a week, a team of community nurses and members of the Pinellas County Health Department load up a little red wagon with alcohol swabs, surgical gloves and Hep A vaccines.
The group, also known as the Foot Team, heads out to communities throughout Pinellas County to educate and offer the vaccine to people who may be at risk.
On this particular day, the Foot Team went to three motels in St. Petersburg, Fla.
“A lot of these hotels have homeless people,” explained Fannie Vaughn, a registered nurse who works at the health department. “It’s one of the target population.”
The Foot Team spent most of the late afternoon knocking on hotel doors. When someone answered, that’s when the education begins.
“We’re really getting out into the community because there are people who just won’t come out,” said Margarita Hall, public information director.
“It’s very important to be vaccinated,” said Vaughn. “Prevention, that’s the key. And that’s what we’re out here doing. Right now, with the spread of the disease, we need to prevent people from getting it.”
From Jan. 1, 2018 through Aug. 3, 2019, there were 2,671 Hepatitis A cases reported in Florida.
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