Muhlenberg County Health Department Immunization Program

Kentucky law, KRS 158.035 statute.aspx (ky.gov) requires immunization of children entering day care, child care facilities and public or private schools. These requirements also allow for exemptions, KRS 214.036 statute.aspx (ky.gov) for both medical reasons and religious beliefs. Immunization laws and regulations are in place to protect every citizen. 

• Influenza is responsible for 20,000 to 40,000 deaths annually, and up to 50,000 deaths and an estimated 200,000 excess hospitalizations at a cost of $750 million to $1 billion during epidemic years.
• Mortality from all pneumococcal disease is estimated at 40,000 deaths annually, with morbidity estimated at 500,000 cases of pneumonia, 50,000 cases of sepsis, and 3,000 cases of meningitis.
• Hepatitis B infections occur in 200,000 to 300,000 people per year and result in 10,000 to 15,000 hospitalizations and 250 deaths due to fulminant hepatitis.
• Approximately 1 million people are carriers of the hepatitis B virus; 25 percent have chronic active hepatitis, 4,000 die annually from HBV-related cirrhosis, and 800 die annually from HBV-related liver cancer.

The Muhlenberg County Health Department works to provide services aimed at preventing and reducing the risk and incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases by offering The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program that provides vaccines at no cost to eligible children. All vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices are available through the VFC program. The program acts to reduce vaccine costs which create a barrier to vaccination of eligible children.

Children and adolescents younger than 19 who meet one or more of the following criteria are eligible:

• Medicaid eligible
• Uninsured
• American Indian or Alaska native
• Underinsured are eligible for vaccines through federally-qualified health centers or local health departments.

The following vaccines are available at our health department by appointment: 

Children

• Anti-Meningitis Vaccines
  • Haemophilus Influenzae (Hib)
  • Meningococcal (MCV4)
  • Pneumococcal (PCV13)
• Hepatitis A & B
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV9)
• Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR)
• Polio (IPV)
• Rotavirus
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, & Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (TDaP)
• Varicella (Chicken Pox)
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, & Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (DTaP)
• Influenza (Flu) Seasonal

Adult

• Tetanus, Diphtheria, & Pertussis (Whooping Cough) (TDaP)
• Influenza (Flu) Seasonal
• Hepatitis A
• Pneumoncoccal
• Shingles

Availability of adult vaccines change according to funding levels. Please contact the health department to confirm availability at (270) 754-3200.