Six schools get H1N1 vaccine Monday

Six public schools in Broward County will start vaccinating students against the swine flu Monday morning. Coconut Creek High, Dania Elementary, Pembroke Pines Elementary, Tamarac Elementary, Westpine Middle and  Wilton Manors Elementary will be the first schools to start the vaccine against the H1N1 virus which has hospitalized 872 people statewide and caused 121 deaths in the state, including 10 in Broward County.

As part of a coordinated effort, Paula Thaqi, director of the Broward County Health Department (BCHD), presented the vaccination plan for South Florida with health officials from Palm Beach, Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties.

Bob Eadie, Monroe HD, Alina Alonso Palm Beach, HD, Paula Thaqi, Broward HD, and Lillian Rivera, Miami HD came together for a press conference Friday on the H1N1/swine flu vaccine.

“One-third of our staff has worked for eight straight weeks,” said Thaqi, a pediatrician, adding Broward has had 73 hospitalizations and a large number of residents reporting to hospitals with flu-like symptoms.

Thaqi said the coordination effort to vaccinate a county of two million plus a regional area of about seven million was a tough job and took the coordination of the fire department, police department, schools, colleges, hospitals, day care centers, city managers, the local emergency operations center as well as numerous other local and regional agencies.

While the vaccine will ultimately have multiple points of access for the general population, the BCHD is starting with several high priority groups: pregnant women, everyone six months to 24 years, caretakers of babies less than six months old, 25-64 with a chronic disease and health care/emergency personnel. Senior citizens are not included in this high priority group right now because data, said health officials, show that they aren’t the ones having issues with the swine flu.

“The…rate(s) are highest in the young, unlike the seasonal flu, young people are having more complications,” explained Thaqi, emphasizing, like all health officials, that there will be enough vaccines for everyone who wants one.

Broward has received the most vaccines of the four counties: a total of 34,100, with 23,000 of those nasal sprays designated for school children who will have to be vaccinated twice before being completely immunized.

“We will be getting weekly allocations, some nasals for the schools, some shots for first responders and single doses for others,” said Thaqi.

While only six schools will start Monday, Thaqi said each week, more schools would be targeted for the vaccine, but only with parental consent. She said parents can expect information packets and a consent form sent home prior to any planned vaccinations at a school.

As the high priority groups get vaccinations through schools, doctors and medical clinics, the effort will branch out in Broward County with local clinics in target areas. Local retail pharmacies are in discussions with the state to help distribute the free vaccine.

Health officials urged the public to be patient and not to make a mad dash to the doctors or clinics for the shot.

“H1N1 is widespread, but for the most part, relatively mild, and flu season doesn’t peak until January/February, so there will be an opportunity for everyone to get vaccinated,” said Thaqi, adding that BCHD is still looking for additional doctors and locations to administer the shots.

The health department is working with cities and counties to set up clinic sites once enough shipments of the vaccine have been received. Locations will be announced as they are designated.

Parents with special needs children can contact Children’s Medical Services to get the vaccine,” said Mary Hooshmand, a nurse with CMS, since they are a part of the high priority group.

CMS is taking special needs children as walk-ins at Broward General Medical Offices, 1625 SE 3rd Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Suite 415. Appointments can be set by calling 954-713-3100.

For more information about the H1N1/swine flu vaccine, visit www.myflusafety.com.

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Posted by Andrea Freygang on Oct 16 2009. Filed under Broward County, Families, Fort Lauderdale, Health, Schools. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.