Munson Expands Rabies Post-Exposure Vaccination to Urgent Care in Traverse City

As questions and concerns increase following a confirmed rabies exposure by the Grand Traverse County Health Department, Munson Healthcare is adding Foster Family Community Health Center (FFCHC) Urgent Care as an additional location to receive post-exposure treatment and vaccination.

Previously, Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG) and post-exposure treatment have only been available through local emergency departments. With vaccine now on-site at FFCHC Urgent Care, the public has another option to receive prompt, comprehensive post-exposure preventative care.

"Rabies is a serious disease, but prompt treatment after an exposure is highly effective at preventing illness," said Jacob Szafranski, MD, Medical Director, FFCHC Urgent Care. "By expanding access to post-exposure vaccination at our urgent care, we can help community members receive the timely care they need in a convenient setting. Our team is proud to use their training and expertise to improve access to this critical, urgent preventative care."

Potential rabies exposure includes:

• Having any direct contact with a bat, especially if a bite or scratch (which can be very small) cannot confidently be ruled out.
• Being bitten, scratched, or licked on broken skin by a mammal that could have rabies.
• Being exposed to saliva or nervous tissue from a potentially rabid animal.

Immediately following a potential exposure:

• Wash all bites, scratches, and wounds with soap and water.
• If possible and safe, identify the animal involved as it can help guide treatment but do not attempt to capture or handle a wild animal.
• Seek medical care as soon as possible, preferably the same day.

Rabies is a medical urgency, and treatment should not be delayed. Once symptoms appear, it is almost always fatal.

As concerns related to rabies exposure continue, Munson Healthcare is committed to providing safe, timely access to preventive care close to home. The addition of rabies post-exposure vaccination services at FFCHC Urgent Care expands treatment access for Northern Michigan residents and reinforces Munson's commitment to keeping the communities it serves healthy and informed.