ID: Diptheria Vaccines To Nome

As you may know, in 1973 the Iditarod sled dog race began. Several reasons are quoted as to why the race began, one of which is to commemorate the role sled dogs and the Iditarod trail played in the 1925 diphtheria outbreak in Nome. You will have heard the famous stories of Balto and Togo and the mercy dash carrying vaccines.

This year Aliy is carrying 10 doses of the Tdap vaccine in her sled to Nome as part of an vaccines awareness campaign organised by the Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC). Tdap is tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis vaccine and is designed as a booster for those patients age 7 years old and older. Tdap is also given to every pregnant woman during every pregnancy to prevent disease to the mother and unborn child. Tdap is required by Alaska state law for students to attend public school.

There will be a week of vaccine awareness events in Nome where people can go to the public vaccine clinic and receive the Tdap vaccine and influenza vaccine at no charge. The Nome UAF will hold two informational speaking events by Dawyn Sawyer, PA. Dr. Karen O'Neill is the physician at NSHC who is the administrator of the vaccine program and will be receiving the Tdap vaccine. Rod Gordon, R.Ph. is the Pharmacy director and Lisa Schobert is the Vaccine Coordinator for NSHC (Nome and 15 villages) and who came up with this idea to help bring vaccine awareness to the community.

Martin Buser and Robert Sorlie are also carrying vaccines to Nome - Martin the DTaP which tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis vaccine designed for children 2 months to 6 years old and Robert is carrying Td, which is tetanus and diphtheria vaccine for adults.

Another part of vaccine awareness is the "I did it by Two" campaign. You may have seen some of the dogs in the Ceremonial Start wearing dog jackets - ours are modelled below by Schmoe, Biscuit and Dingle.