Photo By Staff Sgt. Nicholas Swift | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Hetrick, 351st Air Refueling Squadron independent...... read more read more
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ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- As the cold and flu season comes around once again, people around the globe are lining up to their local hospitals to get the annual vaccine. However, at RAF Mildenhall, Airmen line up at the on base theater for a unique vaccination experience.
RAF Mildenhall independent medical duty technicians administered the annual influenza, or flu, vaccination to Department of Defense personnel and their dependents at the base theater on Oct. 19, 2021.
“Vaccine lines allow us to make sure our active duty members are up to date on their medical readiness items which keeps them deployable,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Hetrick, 351st Air Refuelling Squadron independent duty medical technician. “However, it also allows us to vaccinate anyone else -- dependents, contractors and anybody who lives or works on base.”
RAF Mildenhall’s close proximity to RAF Lakenheath enables Team Mildenhall members to use Lakenheath’s medical treatment facilities, or MTF, for day-to-day medical needs. This has led to Mildenhall and Lakenheath sharing the one MTF rather than having one per base.
Enabling members to do this centralizes the treatment that Airmen on either base receive. However, in the events such as annual flu vaccinations, the mission is often required to be brought to RAF Mildenhall for the ease of its members, as well as Lakenheath’s MTF.
“We’re able to accommodate more people here,” said Tech. Sgt. Aquarius Benoit, 351st Air Refuelling Squadron independent duty medical technician. “Doing it in a more centralized location not only allows for us to make it easier on members, but it gives more members access to the flu vaccine.”
Influenza affected an estimated 35,000,000 Americans last year with an expected death toll of twenty-thousand (according to CDC statistics). The greatest prevention to catching the flu is still the annual vaccine.
“It also takes away some of the workload from the Lakenheath medical clinic,” said Benoit. “This way we can see our members here, and encourage them to get the vaccine since it doesn’t hinder their work day.”
RAF Mildenhall’s members often travel across the European Region as part of the Air Force mission. Being in constant contact with other units, as well as other NATO allied nations, means that aircrew members are at a higher risk of exposure to airborne illness like the flu.
“It’s not only important to the health and safety of our Airmen in their workplace environment, but also ensures they’ll be safe wherever they may go,” said Hetrick. “Administering vaccines in this way makes it convenient for the members, because it keeps them from having to drive all the way to Lakenheath just to get their vaccine.”
| Date Taken: | 10.19.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.28.2021 05:07 |
| Story ID: | 408182 |
| Location: | GB |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 100th ARW influenza vaccination line, by SSgt Nicholas Swift, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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