The department's administrator Mona Zuffante hopes to continue vaccination efforts so tribal traditions can be passed on (Photo Courtesy Winnebago Public Health Department).
COVID-19 vaccination efforts continue in Nebraska with almost 20% of the eligible population injected with the first dose Wednesday, according to the DHHS dashboard. But, the Winnebago Public Health Department is ahead of that pace and estimates about 40% of the community has already received the first dose.
Mona Zuffante is the department’s administrator and said they’re lucky to receive doses through the government’s Indian Health Service.
"This is so important to our people, for our legacy and our ancestors have already given this to us, to pave that way for us to continue on with all the other trauma that's happened within our own communities," she said. "I think that part of it is just keeping our culture and our traditions alive and people within the community see how important that is."
The department holds a vaccination clinic every Wednesday and continues to educate the public the importance of taking the shot. Zuffante said the department’s goal is to reach an 80% immunization rate, which could lead to so-called “herd immunity."