Officials Outline Schedule For Flu Immunization Plan

Health Officials To Give Vaccine To Dane County School Children

Updated: 7:03 pm CDT October 14, 2009

Officials with Public Health -- Madison and Dane County presented a schedule on Wednesday morning in their effort to begin immunizing Dane County school children against the H1N1 flu virus.

The effort is slated to begin next week. Officials said the schedule depends on vaccine supplies, but if all goes as planned, public health workers will be going to schools throughout Dane County starting Monday and continue for the next five weeks.

Parents will be given information about the H1N1 clinics and a consent form if they wish to have their child immunized, officials said.

"Children will be brought to the gym or wherever. Staff will review consent forms, and then the vaccine is being given correctly and properly," said Judy Aubey, a public health nursing supervisor.

Health officials said the effort includes 160 Dane County schools and some 80,000 children.

The only caveat is the vaccine itself. Public Health -- Madison and Dane County still doesn't have any in hand, but officials said that they hope to receive the vaccine soon so school immunizations can start Monday.

"For kids under age 10, they'll need to have a second dose of vaccine, so we'll be making arrangements subsequent to the first round to get to those kids who need a second dose," said Aubey.

Public Health -- Madison and Dane County is expecting to get the first doses in mist form and then additional doses in the injectable form.

The H1N1 vaccine effort is so large that volunteers are being recruited to help administer it.

Due to staffing limits, public health officials are also encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated through their own doctor.

Officials said children are one of the groups targeted for the vaccine because they're more likely to get it or develop complications.

Nurses said the vaccine is safe because it's made and tested in the same way as the seasonal flu vaccine.

Parents can get more information at this Web site or by calling the public health flu line at 608-243-0555. General questions about H1N1 can be answered by calling 211.

To see the schedule, click here.

Comments

Links We Like

Sponsored Links

Advertise With Us Advertise With Us

CNN Video Player

Advertise With Us