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Communities affected by flooded Missouri River requesting vaccinations

(via Flickr/Daniel Paquet)

Reporting by KXCV's Kirk Wayman used in this report.

Several communities up and down the swollen Missouri River are not only requesting sandbags, but vaccinations as well.

In extreme Northwest Missouri, Atchison County deputy emergency manager Mark Manchester said his office has given about 50 workers tetanus shots during the flood fight.

"If anybody has an exposed cut, or if they get a cut or a blister or something while they're working and the water has anything in it- or even the equipment- sandbagging machines, things like that- if there's any kind of infection right there- it's  a… a safety precaution," Manchester said.

Manchester said sandbaggers, levee workers, and water patrol officers have received the tetanus vaccinations.