Webster County Public Health practiced for mass vaccination distribution with flu shots at a trial clinic Thursday afternoon at Iowa Central Community College’s East Campus.

The clinic provided flu shots to Fort Dodge Community School District students in kindergarten through fourth grade and allowed WCPH staff to prepare for upcoming mass vaccination clinics which are anticipated due to COVID-19.

“As a public health department, WCPH is required to have the ability and understanding to mass vaccinate should it be needed, not just for COVID,” said Kari Prescott, Webster County Health Department director. “This test run is a much smaller scale and allows us to determine the amount of time that it takes to get people through the clinic, to test signage, the ability to communicate, to test our PIO messaging, to ensure that we are as clear as possible with what is needed and also to keep people safe and healthy and inside their cars for vaccinations.”

The test clinic utilized three semi-trailer bays fashioned into a drive-thru lane. Participants were ushered to a lane, provided WCPH staff their insurance card and identification and were vaccinated for influenza.

Prescott said the county would have the capability to utilize 10 semi-trailer bays, allowing capacity for up to 40 cars at a time.

“Our future goal will be to vaccinate as many as possible in the county in 72 hours,” said Prescott. “While today is a much smaller scale, it gave us the opportunity to test and learn. This is similar to how we provided mass vaccinations for H1N1 which we did at the mall, but due to the type of virus and contagiousness of COVID, we needed to utilize an open air area.”

While COVID-19 vaccines are still in development, Prescott said that WCPH’s guidance on who will be first in line to receive a vaccine — whether that be long-term care facilities, health care workers or law enforcement — will be prioritized by the Iowa Department of Public Health and provided through guidance to all public health departments.

WCPH coordinated with multiple county partners for Thursday’s test clinic and will continue to work with these agencies for future clinic planning.

“We are so grateful to Iowa Central Community College for the coordination and for providing space,” said Prescott. “Thank you to Webster County Sheriff’s Department for traffic control, to the roads department for the signage and equipment and to Fort Dodge Community School District staff for working alongside us to reach families and to help on site today.”