Lincoln County Public Health receptionist Carolyn Carlson, nurse Madison Wilkes and nurse Lynn Rogers in front of the new Public Health location on Topaz Street, behind the courthouse. The now-renovated building used to be the Kemmerer Jail. Public Health was previously in the courthouse. (GAZETTE PHOTO / Theresa Davis) 

Lincoln County Public Health has moved to a new location — the renovated old jail behind the courthouse.

The building, located at 520 Topaz Street, better fits the needs of Public Health, according to the  employees.

“We are set up so much better for accessibility, especially for flu shots and immunizations,” said Lynn Rogers, Public Health nurse. “At our old location, it was hard for people to get to us and even find us.”

Lincoln County Public Health offers flu shots, immunizations, prenatal and postpartum education, breastfeeding education, confidential HIV and STD testing, strep testing and diabetes education, blood pressure checks, and infant and elderly care.

Lincoln County Public Health will host an open house on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Visitors can tour the new space, have treats and even get a flu shot.

The employees say they like that the building is part of Kemmerer’s rich history.

“People who come in tell us stories about what they remember about the building, and we kind of piece together the history,” said Carolyn Carlson, Public Health receptionist. “We’re super curious.”

Carolyn Carlson, Madison Wilkes and Lynn Rogers in front of new Lincoln County Public Health location. (GAZETTE PHOTO / Theresa Davis)

The education room, which is host to prenatal and postpartum classes, as well as diabetes education, used to be the sheriff’s office, and the sheriff lived upstairs.

“We do have bars on the windows, so we kind of have to joke with the kids when they come to get their flu shot about trapping them here,” Rogers said.

Rogers and Carlson said the new space provides more privacy than the old Public Health location.

Rogers said this privacy is key for confidential HIV and STD testing and education spaces.

Employees say the workers who renovated the building before they moved in really worked hard to construct spaces in the old jail that could best serve Public Health needs, including the education spaces and a special refrigerator for storing immunizations.

So what do the Public Health employees have to say to Lincoln County residents who haven’t gotten their flu shots yet?

“It’s time,” Rogers said. “We usually suggest that people get their flu shot in October. There’s already been reported cases in Wyoming.”