Direct Relief and the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, in coordination with the Santa Barbara Department of Public Health, will offer tetanus (Tdap) vaccinations free-of-charge to individuals exposed to flood water and debris following the tragic mudslide in Montecito.
Tdap is a combination vaccine that protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) – three potentially life-threatening bacterial diseases. While diphtheria and pertussis spread from person to person, tetanus enters the body through cuts, scratches, or wounds.
The risk of wounds increases following a flood or mudslide and during cleanup, thereby increasing the risk of tetanus.
For this reason, residents and others involved in cleanup activities are advised to have their tetanus vaccination up-to-date. Individuals 10 years of age and older who have not received a tetanus vaccine in the past five years are eligible for this program.
Direct Relief is making available its stockpile of vaccine, as well as any other medical essentials that may be needed, to assist in this emergency.
Staff from the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics will administer the Direct Relief-donated vaccines between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday, at the following locations:
Eastside Neighborhood Clinic
915 N. Milpas St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Westside Neighborhood Clinic
628 W. Micheltorena St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Goleta Neighborhood Clinic
5580 Calle Real
Goleta, CA 93111
Isla Vista Neighborhood Clinic
970 Emarcadero Del Mar
Isla Vista, CA 93117
Additional locations and hours will be announced this week.
For more information on the Tdap Vaccine, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/tdap.html
Further Reading
Direct Relief donates new ATV’s to local agencies for flood debris search
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team used the new ATV on Saturday to support search efforts.
Devastating Floods Rip Through Fire Impacted California Communities
CAStorm – Firefighters rescue a girl who was trapped in Montecito following heavy rain and mudflow in the 300 block of Hot Springs Road. pic.twitter.com/tfUw0cDbXx – SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018 Powerful rains washed over fire-denuded hillsides early Tuesday morning, creating deadly and devastating flooding for communities across Southern California.
My disaster relief agency is based near Montecito. Now disaster has hit home.
Because the nonprofit humanitarian-aid organization I work for specializes in providing medical assistance to people in need – and works in every U.S. state and territory and 80 countries – the last six months have been busy.
Here’s How You Can Help Victims of the California Mudslides
Just weeks after one of California’s largest wildfires in history swept through Santa Barbara County, residents are dealing with another environmental disaster as heavy rains sent mud and boulders sliding down hills into homes in the coastal town of Montecito.
