Immunizations

Decades of research show that vaccines prevent disease. An overwhelming number of studies also show that they are safe and effective. But in recent years, some people have become concerned that vaccines are more dangerous than the diseases they prevent. 

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It’s also one reason we are seeing the return of so many preventable diseases – like measles, mumps and whooping cough.

Current immunization recommendations

School Requirements

Top 20 Questions and Answers About Immunizations 

We also field calls about vaccines and cancer preventionsuch as the HPV vaccine.  

**Our Department serves as a safety net provider.  This means, if you can’t get an appointment at your regular healthcare provider, health center or local pharmacy, we can serve you. 

Looking for Up-to-Date data now?  

Here are 3 great resources to get you started:

Summary of Tobacco Patterns, Prevention, and Policy in Essex County, NY 2024

Healthy ADK is a project of the North Country’s Population Health Improvement Program, maintained by Adirondack Health Institute in collaboration with local agencies.  Data sets include health, economy, education, environment, government, public safety, social environment & transportation.

The NYS DOH Prevention Agenda Dashboard provides state and county level data based on the state’s Prevention Agenda including indicators for disparities, healthy & safe environment, chronic diseases, communicable diseases, women, infants & children and mental, emotional & behavioral health.

County Health Rankings is a resource allowing for health outcomes and factors reports for counties across the United States. It helps viewers understand how health is influenced by where we live, work, play and work.

For assistance using these sites or to request data, please contact Essex County Health Department at (518) 873-3500.

This Department, in collaboration with local hospitals and as part of a regional Community Health Assessment & Planning Committee, has been actively engaged in data collection and analysis during the 2022 year.

Data collection includes hundreds of indicators from numerous local, state and national data sources and looks at qualitative and quantitative data.

Community Health Assessment and Improvement/ Plan 2022-2024

This Department, in collaboration with local hospitals and as part of a regional Community Health Assessment & Planning Committee, has been actively engaged in data collection and analysis during the 2022 year.

Data collection includes hundreds of indicators from numerous local, state and national data sources and looks at qualitative and quantitative data.

Community Health Assessment 2022

Priority Areas 2022 – 2024

Archived Community Assessments & Planning

The purpose of the Community Health Assessment (CHA) 2019 and Community Health Improvement/Service Plan (CHISP) 2019-2021 is to demonstrate an ongoing understanding of the significant health needs of Essex County residents and actions necessary to address these needs.

Significant attention was given to creating a report that is not only informative to the lead agencies engaged in the assessment, but one that is useful to a wide variety of individuals, groups, and organizations. This is because in order to improve the health of communities, the whole community must engaged. 

This report continues a long history of data gathering and analysis from a variety of sources including local, regional, state and national entities.  It includes primary and secondary data; as well as quantitative and qualitative data.  

Several components of this assessment are improvements from previous assessments.  The enhancements include:

  • Integration of input from local residents and community stakeholders;
  • Consideration of health by sub-population;
  • Identification of disparities in health by sub-population;
  • Examination of local social determinants of health; and
  • Identification of community assets that can be mobilized to improve the health of our community.

Additionally, higher levels of engagement were achieved through intervention planning efforts from previous assessments.  This includes:

  • Convening work groups to review health outcomes and contributing factors
  • Engaging partners to evaluate contributing factors to determine true root cause(s) that lead to poor health outcomes and disparate health indicators in certain communities, groups, locations;
  • Working to examine the existing assets/programs/initiatives; and
  • Collectively selecting the strategies that are most likely to result in measurable health gains; address the disparities identified; and be implemented successfully among partners.

We encourage residents, community leaders, organizational executives, and everyone interested to read this report about resident health including the community plan for addressing priority health needs.

Because of the size of this report, contents for web display are broken into Parts as downloadable below. Appendices are also available as downloadable documents; below.

ESSEX_CHA_CHISP_Cover-ContentsDownload

ESSEX_CHA_CHISP_Executive SummaryDownload

ESSEX_CHA_CHISP_Part I IntroductionDownload

ESSEX_CHA_CHISP_Part II CHADownload

ESSEX_CHA_CHISP_Part III CHISPDownload

ESSEX_CHA_CHISP_Part IV Dissemination PlanDownload

ESSEX_CHA_CHISP_Part V Appendices ListDownload

Appendix 1 ARHN Stakeholder Survey ReportDownload

Appendix 2 ARHN Essex County Health Indicators Data SheetsDownload

Appendix 3 ARHN Community Profile Data SheetsDownload

Appendix 4- Collaborative Committees ListDownload

Appendix 5 Distributed Focus Group Analysis ReportDownload

Appendix 6 Community Survey Analysis ReportDownload

Appendix 7 Stakeholder Survey Analysis ReportDownload

Appendix 8 Master Source ListDownload

Appendix 9 Prioritization MatrixDownload

Appendix 10 CHISP Work Plan.pdf(small)Download

Essex_Combined_CHIP CSP Progress Report 2018 FinalDownload

Essex_Combined_CHIP CSP Progress Report 2017

CHA-CHIP-CSP-ShortReport

CHA-CHIP-CSP-2016-ExecutiveSummary

Community Health Assessment 2016; Improvement & Service Plan 2016-2018

Appendix-A-DataConsultants-Sources-Methodology

Appendix-B-QualitativeData-StakeholdersSummary

Appendix-C-ARHN-CHA-Committee-Members-And-Meetings-Dates

Appendix-D-NYSDOH-Prevention-Agenda

Appendix-E-PrioritizationTool-Final-Essex-2016

Appendix-F-CSP-CHIP-Update-Summaries

Appendix-G-LocalCommunityServicePlan-Essex-2017

Appendix-H-Demographic-Data

Appendix-I-Educational-System-Profile

Appendix-J-Health-System-Data

Appendix-K-HealthIndicators

Appendix-L-AHI-PPS-Projects

Essex County CHA 2013 Final

Community Health Improvement Plan, 2014-2017 – Essex County CHIP 2013 Final.

COVID-19 Vax given @ECHD in 2021!
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COVID-19 Vax given @ECHD in 2022!
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Bivalent Boosters given @ECHD in 2022!
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Bivalent Boosters given @ECHD in 2023!
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More information can be found by visiting the CDC website

COVID-19 Vaccine

The Essex County Health Department has the ability to vaccinate anyone eligible for any dose with approved vaccine types. Our Department vaccinates everyone eligible for the COVID vaccine without discrimination.   US or NY residency is not required to receive the COVID vaccine through our Department.⬆

Flu Central

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Some people, such as people 65 years and older, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at higher risk of serious flu complications. There are two main types of influenza (flu) viruses: types A and B. The influenza A and B viruses that routinely spread in people (human influenza viruses) are responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year.⬆

Flu Vax

The best way to reduce the risk of flu and its potentially serious complications is by getting vaccinated each year. Call 518-873-3500 for more information or to make an appointment. To assist in finding flu vaccine locations in Essex County,
visit the Flu Vaccine Finder.

Attend School Immunizations

Children attending day care and pre-K through 12thgrade in New York State must receive all required doses of vaccines on the recommended schedule in order to attend or remain in school. This is true unless they have a valid medical exemption to immunization. This includes all public, private, and religious schools. ⬆

Our Nurses hold vaccine clinics at Essex County Schools & At the Health Department!

Health Department Nurses go to schools to offer immunizations for: School Required Vaccine Catch-Up Opportunity Human papillomavirus (HPV) for those 9+ Meningitis B for those moving on from High School to College or other congregate living.
For more information or to make an appointment call 518-873-3500

Mpox

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is caused by a virus that is related to the virus that causes smallpox.⬆
If and when you are ready, the health department has onsite mpox vaccine appointments available. JYNNEOS is a 2-dose vaccine developed to protect against mpox and smallpox infections. People need to get both doses of the vaccine for the best protection against mpox. The second dose should be given 4 weeks after the first dose.
For an appointment call 518-873-3500
Billing

We can bill:

Public Insurance: Medicaid, Medicare Part B, Child Health Plus, Fidelis Managed Care.

Private Insurance: Excellus or CDPHP. 

Present your card at your appointment to receive services at no charge.  If you are not covered by these health insurances we will provide you a receipt for service that you may submit to your insurance company to seek reimbursement.

This Department charges an at-cost rate plus administration fee —our rate/fees are adjusted down using a sliding fee scale based on household income.

COVID-19 – $128 per dose + $25 admin fee = $153.00

Flu vaccine – $18 per dose + $25 admin fee = $43.00

Flu vaccine high dose – $64 per dose + $25 admin fee = $89.00

We can now accept payment with GovPayNet – so you can swipe your debit or credit card here at our office or pay online.

Before you pay with GovPayNet we advise you to read the GovPayNet Fee Schedule and GovPayNet Terms of Service.

Please call our office at 518-873-3500 if you have questions about immunizations, fees or payment.

Traveler's Vaccine Clinics

Traveler’s Clinics

Mountain Medical Urgent Care Services call 518-523-7575 or 518-897-1000

Plattsburgh Industrial Med. Testing call 518-562-2009

St. Lawrence County Department of Health Department call 315-386-2325

Warren County Public Health call 518-761-6580

In Vermont, UVM Travel Clinic call 802-847-1045

Traveler’s Vaccinations

NYSDOH Requirements as a Local Health Department

As a local health department we must:

  • ensure compliance with all immunization statutes and regulations;
  • assist with and follow-up on school immunization surveys;
  • provide education regarding the risks and benefits of immunizations for consumers;
  • conduct quality assurance activities with community health care providers including immunization practices, proper vaccine storage and handling, and compliance with immunization reporting requirements;
  • ensure proper stewardship of immunization resources and serve as a safety-net immunization provider; and
  • apply cost-based charges and make reasonable attempts to bill and collect fees for immunization services.