Students to get H1N1 vaccine

County schools to offer swine flu nasal mist with parental consent next Wednesday, Thursday

By Katie Cole (Contact) | Dadeville Record

Published Wednesday, November 25, 2009

County schools will vaccinate 4- to 9-year-old students whose parents provided written consent with the H1N1 influenza nasal mist next week.

Local schools sent students who met the age requirement home with packets of information about H1N1 influenza, the nasal mist vaccine and a consent form.

“Public health nurses will administer the vaccinations,” said Debbie Thompson, lead nurse for the health departments of Tallapoosa and Coosa counties.

Dadeville Elementary, Edward Bell and Horseshoe Bend school are scheduled for Dec. 2 and Reeltown School for Dec. 3.

Tuesday, Nov. 24, was the deadline for the vaccine consent form and the schools will not be taking any late submissions. Tallapoosa County lead school nurse Tammy Templeton said this is because the health department needs to know how many supplies to bring to each school. The schools are reviewing the file of each child who’s taking the nasal mist to make sure he or she does not have any allergies or health problems that would cause an adverse reaction.

“It takes them time to process the packets,” Templeton said. “(The vaccine) is safe but certain people can’t get it.”

Only nasal mist flu vaccines will be available. The nasal mist is sprayed into each nostril and contains a live but weakened form of the H1N1 virus, according to a statement released from the state health department.

Although the virus in the nasal mist is live, it usually does not cause severe symptoms associated with influenza, according to the statement. Nasal mist side effects in children can include runny nose, wheezing, headache, vomiting, muscle aches and fever.

Students who are moderately to severely ill should not receive the vaccine, but those with a mild cold or other minor illness can be vaccinated, according to the statement. Children who have compromised immune systems or long-term health problems or contact with a person with a severely weakened immune system should not receive a nasal mist vaccine. Templeton said children who decide they do not want the vaccine will not be forced to take it. Parents of these children or those who are sick or failed to turn in their consent form on time can contact the health department or their physician to receive an injectable vaccine instead.

Children who receive the nasal mist vaccine will need to receive a second dose about four weeks later for the vaccination to work against the H1N1 influenza.

“These children will need the (boosters) so that’s the group we started with,” Thompson said. “The plans are to give (the boosters) in January and hopefully to vaccinate the other children (then).”

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