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(Photo provided by Jump at the Sun Consultants, LLC)
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Residents of the 53206 neighborhood visited the Lovell Johnson Quality of Life Center, 1530 W. Atkinson Ave., recently for a day of fun, games, education, and COVID-19 shots and boosters for those who were interested. The Fall Health Fair was presented by Jump at the Sun Consultants, the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network, the Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network, in partnership with the City of Milwaukee Health Department and Alverno School of Nursing.
According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the 53206 ZIP code area has the lowest vaccination rate in the city, with 39 percent of residents having received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. In general, vaccination rates on the North Side of Milwaukee lag behind other areas in the city and are lower than the city average of 50 percent. According to the DHS, communities of color have experienced higher rates of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths since the pandemic began, and Latinx and Black residents have lower vaccination rates, compared to whites.
During the fair, Alverno Nursing Students and Milwaukee Health Department personnel administered 37 COVID vaccines or boosters, in addition to 14 flu shots. Milwaukee resident Brian A. Mitchell was among those who received the COVID booster.
“I’m a fan of all local sports teams and I also support my community by being fully vaccinated,” Mitchell said. “The opportunity to get my booster shot was important to help everyone be safer.”
Residents also played interactive games to learn more about tobacco prevention, COVID-19, and other chronic diseases. Those games were created and hosted by third year UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health students.
The event was also supported by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Wisconsin DHS Minority Health Program, Wisconsin Tobacco Prevention and Control Program and the Milwaukee County Executive’s Office. For COVID -19 vaccination locations contact (414) 286-6800 or visit HealthyMKE.com. Call 1-800 Quit-Now for free smoking cessation support.
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