OCTOBER IS MONTH FOR SHOTS

The Cape Girardeau Public Health Center and local McDonald's restaurants have joined forces in an effort to improve Cape County's childhood immunization rate.

The "Immunize for Healthy Lives" program is part of a month-long national effort to get more children vaccinated against life-threatening diseases. October has been designated Child Health Month

Thirty percent of children 2 years of age and younger in Cape Girardeau County go unprotected from life-threatening childhood diseases because they haven't received all their immunization shots.

That statistic mirrors the national average.

Nationally, 45 percent of children over 2 years of age haven't received all their shots.

Charlotte Craig, director of the county health department, doesn't have any figures locally for children over 2.

But she said all children need to be immunized. Part of the problem, she said, is that young parents today don't view polio and other childhood diseases as a threat because they haven't experienced the epidemics that once swept the country.

"We need to somehow get the message across to moms and dads. It's not like a cold or the flu," Craig said. "These young people can't relate to polio and measles."

Throughout October, McDonald's restaurants are distributing educational fliers on immunizations, including a vaccination schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

McDonald's is also providing free food coupons, which will be distributed to every child that receives an immunization shot at the health center this month.

The health center at 1121 Linden gives the shots free of charge. In addition to its regular hours, the health center will hold a special immunization clinic from 1-7 p.m. Wednesday. Appointments can be made by calling 335-7846.

Jerry Davis, who operates several McDonald's restaurants locally, said the immunization program provides an important health message.

By helping parents get their children vaccinated on time and encouraging regular doctor visits, the program has the potential to save lives, Davis said.