|
Syringes, some with swine flu vaccine, sit on a plastic box ready to be administered at a flu-shot clinic in Arkansas. |
BY JIM HALL
The school vaccination program for H1N1 was scheduled to resume this morning in three local schools.
In addition, a state official reported yesterday that all doctors who signed up for the program have received an initial shipment of vaccine.
Dr. John Petrasky, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District, said yesterday afternoon that he shipped vaccine to three schools for in-school clinics today.
The schools are Caroline High School, Potomac Elementary in King George County and Fredericksburg Academy.
Robert Graves, headmaster at Fredericksburg Academy, said last night that he learned about 11 a.m. yesterday that his school would receive 500 doses of vaccine. The school has about 450 students.
Caroline County Public Schools said on its Web site yesterday afternoon that it had received 800 doses for distribution in the high school auditorium.
With these shipments, Petrasky extends the vaccination program to two new school districts, Caroline and King George, and to a private school. Previously, only public schools in Stafford County had received the vaccine.
Petrasky said in an e-mail that about half of the vaccine shipped to the schools is the nasal-mist variety. That is a higher percentage than was originally expected, he said.
"The company that makes the live attenuated flu mist vaccine has had much greater success than any other manufacturer in growing the H1N1 virus in culture," Petrasky said.
A Health Department nurse who has experience giving flu mist will be at each clinic to help the school nurses.
"Flu mist has an excellent track record," Petrasky added. "Flu mist is often easier to give to children than a shot, and is in fact preferred by many pediatricians. It has also been used by the military with great results for many years."
Graves said his school has received permission slips back from about 300 families. He expected more children to return the forms today.
Graves said his school sponsored a seasonal flu clinic earlier this year. Children who fought the shot did not get one, he said.
"We decided if they were going to fight that much, we weren't going to give them the shot," he said. "They were going to have to go to their own physicians."
Graves said he was glad to have some of the nasal-mist version of the vaccine since reluctant children seem to tolerate it better.
In her weekly update on H1N1, Dr. Karen Remley, state health commissioner, said yesterday that more than 300 school clinics have been held in Virginia since the start of the vaccination program.
"It's a very efficient, effective way to get a lot of vaccine into children's noses and arms to help start protection for them," Remley said.
More than 2,900 doctors statewide have signed up to be vaccinators. Remley said all of them have received some vaccine.
"Not as much as they'd like to have to meet the needs of their entire patient population, but it gives them the opportunity to start," Remley said.
Jim Hall: 540/374-5433
Email: jhall@freelancestar.com
