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Seasonal Flu Vaccinations Almost Compete At Schools; H1N1 Vaccine Coming Soon
October 16, 2009
Over 4,000 Escambia County students have participated in voluntary vaccinations for the seasonal flu, and health officials say voluntary H1N1 swine flu vaccinations in schools will begin in about a week.
The Escambia County Health Department will begin offering the voluntary H1N1 vaccination through public schools beginning next Thursday and will continue through November. C.A. Weis Elementary and West Pensacola Elementary are scheduled to have their voluntary vaccination clinic on October 22. The only North Escambia school scheduled to receive the H1N1 vaccine in the next two weeks in Jim Allen Elementary, according to Molly Payne-Hardin, health department spokesperson. Parents will get information about the vaccine and permission forms about one week before the voluntary H1N1 vaccination clinic is scheduled to be at their child’s school.
Thursday morning, a seasonal flu vaccine event was held at Ferry Pass Elementary School. Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, Escambia County Health Department Director Dr. John Lanza, Ferry Pass Elementary School Principal Rhonda Shuford, and Ferry Pass Elementary School Nurse Julie Terrell talked with a class of fourth graders about the importance of getting a flu vaccine and learning how to prevent the flu. The school’s mascot for good health, Wiggum, a large fuzzy purple puppet (animated by Nurse Julie Terrell) encouraged the students by giving them each a high-five, kiss or hug after they got their flu shots.
There season flu vaccine was made available to students at 26 Escambia County schools through a federal stimulus initiative. Participating schools in North Escambia were Bratt, Byrneville, Molino Park and Jim Allen elementary schools. The Escambia Health Department’s School Health Division reports an average participation rate of 42 percent.
“If a child gets sick from flu, they can be out of school for up to seven days. When a child is out sick, they are not learning. Flu is a disease that can be prevented — I urge everyone to get their seasonal flu vaccine and practice basic prevention like washing our hands frequently, covering our coughs and sneezes, and staying home when we’re sick,” Lanza said.
The first shipments of the H1N1 vaccine are in the nasal mist format and are available through some pediatricians offices and at the Escambia County Health Department’s Fairfield Drive location. Additional shipments of vaccine are arriving weekly and are expected to continue arriving through December, Payne-Hardin said. The health department’s website www.EscambiaHealth.com has details on getting the H1N1 vaccine at the health department. Residents can also call their pediatricians office to find out if they will be offering the H1N1 vaccine.
Pictured top: Ferry Pass Elementary student Shawn Schiewe receives the seasonal flu vaccine Thursday morning. Pictured inset: Escambia County Health Department Director John Lanza discusses the swine flu with Ferry Pass fourth grade students. Pictured below: Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas takes flu questions. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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13 Responses to “Seasonal Flu Vaccinations Almost Compete At Schools; H1N1 Vaccine Coming Soon”
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/ucm094047.htm
The following link will take you to the FDA website regarding flumist. There you will find a link to the Flumist package insert so that you can read for yourself. I am outraged that so many school children were given this vaccine without their parents being properly warned of the side effects! And to Janice, I’d love to know who your doctor is!!! OUTRAGEOUS!
My daughter is a Bratt student and did get the flumist…I didnt do my homework either, Rodney. She now has the flu! the very thing I thought i was preventing! i asked the doctor if the mist caused it and she told me no, she also led me to believe that she has H1N1~! WHAT AN OUTRAGE!!!!! William- tell us who to sue!!!(-=
Both of my children are running a high fever today (they had the mist Wed.) Is this a reaction or is this the flu? They don’t have any other symptoms other than fever and grumpy!
Rodney–that is terrible that your sweet children are running such a high fever. I’m so very sorry to hear that! I’m more sorry that our government health officials are not giving the public the full story on this vaccine! There should be a greater outcry from the public about this.
I agree with always bissie-my children go to Bratt Elementary and they got the nasal vaccine and both are running 104.0 fevers…I wish I would have done my homework before having them participate in this. Especially when my 6yr old just recovered from pneumonia.
I know lots of people that ended up sick within days after getting the flu shot. The swine flu shot is really scary. It hasn’t been tested enough to know if it really works. People are being used as lab rats.
Is no one else concerned about the propaganda that is being spread to our school children? High Fives from a cartoon character for getting a flu vaccine that may or may not work…this after they’ve been assured that the flu is a preventable disease!! Yes, it is preventable, but that prevention does not always come in the form of a vaccine that is NOT 100% effective.
Don’t get me wrong, every person is within their rights to choose to vaccinate their children or not. But to put out propaganda like this to our children, leading them to believe that they are completely protected by this vaccine, is just not acceptable!
Please do your research before you allow your child to be vaccinated, especially with the flumist. Flumist is a live virus and there is “shedding”, which can cause not only your child to contract flu, but also give flu to anyone he/she comes in contact with.
Why was the flu vaccine not given at the high school in the North Escambia area? I am checking my child out early today to take him to get his shot. For the kids in this area they have to miss even more school time to do this due to the travel time not to mention loss of work time for parents.
to the truth….go to your local health dept when shots are available…i have heard just yesterday that the nasal vaccine is the worst way to spread the flu…said it happens everytime they give it…not such a good idea
winn dixie gave my son the flu shot last year i just had to sign for him. The cost was $25.00
Walgreens is giving the shot for $25. I don’t think there are any requirements as far as age or anything.
I wish the regular flu shot would be made available for all schools. My daughter goes to WFHS and apparently they are not on the list. She brings us home the flu every year. I have gotten everyone else in the house a shot this year but can find a place that will give my 16 year old a shot. Anyone know of where I can get her one?