By PAMELA GOULD
Spotsylvania County scrapped its original H1N1 vaccination plans yesterday and instead will follow Stafford County's example by administering shots at one location per day once the vaccine becomes available.
Previously, the Spotsylvania school division had planned to give the shots at each of the county's schools during day and evening hours. No information was available yesterday as to why the decision was made to change plans.
No vaccine arrived yesterday and Rappahannock Area Health District Director John Petrasky wasn't sure when a shipment would arrive.
"We are hoping to get some vaccine before the end of the week," he said.
But whenever it arrives, he expects half of it to be in the flu mist form.
He said that form, which is a mist inhaled through the nose, has been successfully used for years by the military and is actually easier to give to younger children than the shot form. "It's a great vaccine" with very high efficacy rates, Petrasky said.
However, when Spotsylvania's School Board approved its vaccine program, the flu mist option was excluded. No explanation was given at the time for the decision.
The health district gave the flu mist to some children at clinics in Stafford County. Petrasky said it's safe for anyone from age 2 to 49; only asthmatics should not receive that form of the vaccine.
Spotsylvania's new sched-ule would begin tomorrow at Chancellor High School and run from 5 to 9 p.m., if vaccine arrives.
Fredericksburg and Caroline County also have tentative schedules for clinics later this week.
But Petrasky said representatives from every school district met last Friday and agreed that individual clinics will be held only where there are sufficient doses for the number of people expected at that site.
He said everyone agreed they wanted to avoid sched-uling clinics twice at the same sites.
As of yesterday, Petrasky did not know how many doses would be needed at each Spotsylvania clinic. He was awaiting that information and would need to discuss with Spotsylvania officials whether they would reconsider offering the flu mist version.
A revised schedule for Spotsylvania vaccinations was posted yesterday at the school division's Web site: spotsylvania.k12.va.us.
The new schedule calls for shots to be given at one school per day on weekday evenings from 5 to 9 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972
Email: pgould@freelancestar.com
| Below is updated information for H1N1 clinics in the region.
Fredericksburg schools have scheduled three H1N1 clinics on successive Wednesdays, beginning Nov. 4. The clinics will be held at Lafayette Upper Elementary School, starting at 5:30 p.m. The clinics are open to students of all ages. School officials will hand out tickets--first-come, first served--equal to the number of doses on hand. Anyone with a ticket will get vaccinated. Caroline County will offer clinics on the following dates Caroline High School, Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.; Monday 7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Bowling Green Primary at Bowling Green Elementary Madison Elementary, Nov. 6, Lewis & Clark Elementary, Spotsylvania County will Friday, Chancellor High Saturday, Riverbend High Monday, Spotsylvania High Tuesday, Riverbend High Wednesday, Massaponax High Thursday, Nov. 5 , Riverbend High Friday, Nov. 6, Massaponax High Saturday, Nov. 7, Spotsylvania High Monday, Nov. 9, Riverbend High Tuesday, Nov. 10, Massaponax High Wednesday, Nov. 11, Thornburg Middle Thursday, Nov. 12, Massaponax High |