|
|
| Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
Marketplace
|
|
Sections
|
|
Service Center
|
|
 |
|
Schools schedule H1N1 clinics
Published November 19, 2009
Schools across Alabama, including both the Jackson County and Scottsboro City systems, will begin administering the H1N1 vaccine to students in the upcoming weeks.
School children who are 9 years old and younger and have signed parental consent will be given the FluMist nasal spray vaccine, which is a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) administered by releasing a puff of the vaccine into each nostril.
State Health Officer Dr. Don Williamson said in a news conference Wednesday that opportunity is the reason behind administering the nasal mist rather than the injectable vaccine, because there was more nasal mist available than there was demand for it in the private sector.
Another reason, Williamson said, is to be as “non-disruptive as possible.”
“We’re not interested in holding children down and making them get vaccinated,” Williamson said.
He said the FluMist is just as effective as the injectable vaccine.
Only students 9 years old or younger will be given the vaccine.
Dr. Joe Morton, state superintendent of education, said the goal is to vaccinate as many children as possible. He said clinics were being offered during the school day as a way to assure students who ride the bus or students whose parents could not bring them to an after-hours clinic would be able to get vaccinated if it its their parents’ wish.
“We want to make sure its offered to all children in the state,” Morton said.
Information packets and consent forms regarding the school-based H1N1 clinics have been sent to parents of the school children throughout the county.
Vaccinations will not be given to children whose parents have not signed a consent form.
Stevenson Elementary and Bridgeport Elementary will be the first schools in the county to host school-based clinics. Nurses will be at Stevenson Elementary from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. and Bridgeport Elementary from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30.
On Tuesday, Dec. 1, the vaccines will be given to students at Skyline High School from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m., Woodville High from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m., Paint Rock Valley High from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. and Hollywood School from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. Clinics will be held on Thursday, Dec. 3 at both Section and Pisgah High schools from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. and at Macedonia and Dutton schools from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m.
The following week, the county schools will sponsor clinics on Monday, Dec. 7 at both North Sand Mountain and Rosalie schools from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. and at Bryant and Flat Rock schools from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m.
A school-based clinic for Scottsboro City Schools will be held at Brownwood, Caldwell and Nelson elementary schools Wednesday, Dec. 2 beginning at 8 a.m. The school system’s head registered nurse, Wendy Hastings, said she is not sure about the hours at each school. She said she would have more information Monday, Nov. 30 after the students return from Thanksgiving break because consent forms for the vaccinations must be turned in by Friday, Nov. 20.
Public health officials said children will certain health conditions should not get the nasal mist vaccine. Those include children with allergies to eggs or other substances in the vaccine; weakened immune systems; long-term health problems; heart, lung, kidney or liver diseases; asthma; anemia or other blood disorders; diabetes or other metabolic disorders; muscle or nerve disorders. Children who are on a long-term aspirin treatment should not receive the FluMist.
ADPH officials said children who are “moderately or severely ill” should wait until they’ve recovered to be vaccinated; however, children with “a mild cold or other minor illnesses may be vaccinated.
Williamson said children in close contact with a person who must be in a protected environment should not get the FluMist vaccine.
The ADPH recommends children who have long-term health issues or compromised immune systems be taken to their health care provider or a county health department to receive the injectable vaccine.
More clinics for older students will be planned in December or January.
Williamson said he did not yet know if the other clinics would use the nasal mist or the injectable vaccine, saying the main focus in January will be what product is available.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print |
Comment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|