School vaccinations to resume tomorrow

The school vaccination program for H1N1 will resume tomorrow. Dr. John Petrasky, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District, said this afternoon that he has shipped vaccine to three schools in the region for in-school clinics tomorrow morning.

 The schools are Caroline High School, Potomac Elementary in King George and Fredericksburg Academy. Caroline Schools said on its Web site that it has received 800 doses. Fredericksburg Academy received 500 doses.

A Caroline official said last night that the vaccine will be distributed in the auditorum to high school students and staff. Students from other Caroline schools will be eliglble, he said, though these parents will be asked to sign new permission forms. Parents also will be asked to sign new permission forms in they want their children to get the nasal-mist version of the vaccine, instead of the injection.   

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 vaccine.

Petrasky said in an e-mail that half of the vaccine he has shipped to the schools will be the nasal-mist variety. 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,” he wrote. “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.”  

(In the photo, Health Department nurse Vera Lloyd administers the nasal-mist version of the H1N1 vaccine.)  

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