Upstate School Districts Announce Dates for H1N1 Vaccine Clinics

From the Greenville County School District:

H1N1 Immunizations Clinics for Students (K3 - 5th Grade)

Five After-School Clinics Scheduled

Beginning on Tuesday, November 10, free H1N1 flu vaccine is being made available to GCS K3 - 5th grade students through a cooperative effort between Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and the School District. Five initial after-school clinics are scheduled for younger children and staff at those schools since they are at greater risk. After-school vaccination clinics for middle and high school students and staff will be scheduled after vaccination of younger students is completed.

Information about H1N1 flu and instructions for children to be vaccinated are being sent home to parents of elementary school students. Parents must be present at an after-school clinic and complete a Consent Form for their child to be vaccinated.

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From The School District of Oconee County:

Schools to be Vaccination Sites for Free H1N1Vaccinations for Students

Oconee County elementary schools gear up to offer H1N1 vaccinations. Information packets and consent forms have been sent home with all students.
The packet includes a letter from DHEC, a fact sheet with information about the vaccine and a parental consent form for the H1N1 vaccination.

H1N1 flu is the formal name for the disease commonly called swine flu. The vaccinations will be administered to students by DHEC nurses with administrative assistance being provided by local school nurses.

"If you have any questions about the vaccine or concern about your child receiving the vaccine, you should contact your primary health care provider," said Kay Powell, Director of School and Community Relations.
Parents can also call the DHEC Flu Hotline at (800) 800-27-SHOTS (277-4687). The call center will be staffed by DHEC personnel who will respond to questions based on a question-and-answer document. Questions that may require clinical judgment will be referred to on-call DHEC nurses.
Dates and times of the clinics will be based on the availability of DHEC staff and the vaccine itself. The vaccination process will begin in the elementary schools. Middle and High School schedules will be announced at a later date. It is the goal that all vaccination clinics will be completed by Christmas break.

Schedule for Flu (H1N1) Vaccination Clinic in the Schools 2009-2010*
School 1st Dose DAY Time of Day 2nd Dose DAY Time of Day
Blue Ridge Elementary 11/10/09 TUE 8:30 am UNTIL 12/04/09 FRI 8:30 am UNTIL
Fair-Oak Elementary 11/13/09 FRI 8:30 – 11:00 am 12/10/09 THUR 8:30 – 11:00 am
James M. Brown 11/09/09 MON 8:30 am UNTIL 12/04/09 FRI 8:30 am UNTIL
Keowee Elementary 11/19/09 THUR 12:30 – 1:45 pm 12/15/09 TUE 12:30 – 1:45 pm
Northside Elementary 11/17/09 TUE 8:30 – 11:00 am 12/11/09 FRI 8:30 – 11:00 am
Oakway Intermediate 11/13/09 FRI 12:30 – 1:45 pm 12/10/09 THUR 12:30 – 1:45 pm
Orchard Park Elem 11/12/09 THUR 8:30 – 11:00 am 12/09/09 WED 8:30 – 11:00 am
Ravenel Elementary 11/17/09 TUE 12:30 – 1:45 pm 12/11/09 FRI 12:30 – 1:45 pm
Tamassee Elementary 11/20/09 FRI 8:30 – 11:00 am 12/16/09 WED 8:30 – 11:00 am
Walhalla Elementary 11/19/09 THUR 8:30 – 11:00 am 12/15/09 TUE 8:30 – 11:00 am
Westminster Elem 11/12/09 THUR 12:30 – 1:45 pm 12/09/09 WED 12:30 – 1:45 pm
TBS 11/16/09 MON 8:30 – until To be determined

*The vaccinations – swine flu only – are free.
Medical experts believe the H1N1 vaccination is the best way to protect against swine flu.

Children younger than 10 years old will require two doses of the vaccine that must be administered at least 21 days apart. DHEC officials will provide parents with information about the second vaccination.