Board of Health Committee approves 2025 annual report highlighting immunizations and car-seat work

The Oneida County Board of Health Committee voted March 10 to approve the department’s 2025 annual report and forward it to the County Board. Chair Dan Hess moved the approval, seconded by Lenore Lopez; the motion carried with all ayes.

The annual report’s Immunizations section, presented by Melissa Bryner, summarized work under the Vaccines for Children (VFC) and Vaccines for Adults (VFA) programs and said the department offered a wider range of vaccines at community respiratory-illness clinics during the September–November season. Bryner said adolescent vaccination benchmarks have remained about the same and that a catch-up clinic was held to help children get up to date on required vaccinations.

Bryner and Jennifer Tienhaara described the department’s car-seat safety program. They said Bryner, Tienhaara and a colleague, Vos, are certified car-seat safety technicians who set aside half a day weekly for safety checks. Tienhaara described outreach at the Minocqua Fire Department open house and previewed an April 20–23 car-seat technician class involving the fire department, Aspirus and Marathon County; the department will coordinate an April 23 event so new students can complete certification checks. Conlon said free car seats are available to qualifying individuals (typically those meeting WIC income guidelines) and that free car-seat safety checks are available to everyone.

Linda Conlon, speaking for department staff, said the annual report is intentionally detailed to be accessible to the public. The committee made no amendments to the report and forwarded it to the County Board for consideration.