The Minnesota Department of Health issued the Mark of Excellence to Mower County Public Health on July 17 for its administration of flu vaccines.

According to Public Health nurse Tonya Meyer, a flu clinic must pass four guidelines to receive the Mark of Excellence.

The Minnesota Boards of Nursing and/or pharmacy standards must designate that the licensed staff is qualified to provide vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control must approve the vaccines for being stored and transported correctly.

The staff has to be trained to administer and use flu vaccine products according to annual flu guidelines, and the staff must be CPR-certified and prepared to handle an emergency.

To apply for the award, public health officials submitted the last three months of its refrigerator temperature logs, a copy of its written policy/procedure that states all of its staff who vaccinate are current with CPR certification, and the date of the last site visit from the Immunization Practice Improvement program.

According to Meyer, the guidelines which the Department of Health requires are important for the success of the vaccine.

“The vaccines are not as effective if they are not stored the right way,” she said.

Meyers hopes more people will get the flu vaccine, and she believes the Mark of Excellence will show residents they can trust public health to administer it.

“It promotes having a healthy community and it promotes that we know what we’re doing,” she said.