DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – The Dubuque Kids Expo provided a fun opportunity for kids while providing useful information for parents.
“A lot of times we don’t know what resources are out there. So it’s great to come to an event like this and walk around and talk to community organizations that provide resources specifically for parents and families. That’s great,” said Abby Degenhardt, executive director of Dubuque Early Childhood Education.
Some of these resources included free services such as oral health exams and vaccines.
“Kids come here and get their shots, get their lead tests, you know what they do, and then they come down and have some fun downstairs and see all the services. So there were a lot of kids here with balloons and necklaces and other fun things,” said Tracy Sweeney, a nurse with the Visiting Nurse Association.
“Every child I’ve seen so far has had both the flu and COVID-19. People are now accepting that it’s not just two or three doses, it’s an annual thing. I think they come and get it every year,” Sweeney said.
Sweeney said there has been increased interest in children receiving both vaccinations since a new state law aimed at reducing absenteeism went into effect this summer. The new law defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10% of the school year.
“Whether it’s allowed or not,” Sweeney said. “There’s a lot of germs circulating in schools, so we want them to come into school and get a flu shot for extra protection,” she said.
Sweeney said the expo drew a large crowd.
“It’s been great, better than we expected. We’ve also done a lot of vaccinations. Even if it’s just people coming in and asking questions, we’ve been helpful to them,” Sweeney said.
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