April 23, 2026
By TIM HUNDT
VIROQUA Wis. – Vernon County has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state at around 38 percent. Vernon County Public Health Director Amy Kleiber hopes she can help change that. Kleiber received approval from the Vernon County Board of Supervisors during its April 21 meeting to apply for state funding for a local media campaign aimed at combating falling childhood vaccination rates. The $2,400 dollar grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services will allow the county to purchase billboards and clinic flyers encouraging residents to talk with their healthcare providers.
The approval of the vaccine awareness grant follows a detailed presentation to the Vernon County Finance Committee on April 16 where Kleiber first introduced the funding opportunity. During that meeting Kleiber warned the committee that Vernon County currently has one of the lowest vaccination rates across the board but the numbers are particularly concerning for children under 24 months of age which sits at just 38 percent. Kleiber explained that diseases like the measles are highly preventable but the county is leaving itself open to outbreaks.
During the April 21 board of supervisors meeting Kleiber explained that the state was repurposing leftover pandemic relief money to help local health departments address the growing hesitancy.
“The funding is left over ARPA money from the state that was allocated for Covid 19 impacts,” said Kleiber. “Of course we all know the impacts that Covid 19 had on our daily lives.”
Kleiber warned the board that the drop in routine childhood immunizations places the youngest residents in a dangerous position.
“Our vaccine rates are dropping,” said Kleiber. “So what that means is that our children particularly those under two years of age risk of disease.”
When asked by a board member why the rates were so low Kleiber provided context about the historical challenges the county faces regarding medical care and specific populations.
“Vernon County has always been vaccine hesitant,” said Kleiber. “Those who either religious beliefs or otherwise do not accept vaccines with our plain community our Amish members of course that impacts our total numbers in our county.”
Kleiber stressed that the current vaccination rate is unacceptable and leaves the region vulnerable to highly contagious diseases that were once nearly eradicated.
“We are at 38 percent right now and that is dropping,” said Kleiber. “We do not want measles, we do not want mumps so we are concerned about that.”
To address the issue the health department is partnering with the local vaccine coalition which includes Vernon Health and the Amplify Hirsch clinic. Kleiber explained that rather than preaching to the public the coalition wants to use the grant money for a gentle media campaign that encourages patients to have direct conversations with their doctors.
“We hope to have three billboards that encourage people to talk to their leaders and have those conversations about vaccines,” said Kleiber. “Then we will follow up with flyers in the clinic so you see it when you are driving and then you see it in clinic.”
The board of supervisors unanimously approved Resolution 2026-28 to amend the budget to accept the $2,400 dollars and launch the campaign.
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