With deliveries of H1N1 intranasal vaccine increasing, Knox County Health Department (KCHD) has added in-school vaccination clinics this Thursday and Friday to finish out the week (Dec. 3 & 4). As of Nov. 30, 7100 doses of the H1N1 intranasal vaccine have been given in schools, daycares and Head Start programs. The schools scheduled for Thursday and Friday are listed below for your reference.
Parents who would like their child to receive the H1N1 intranasal vaccine at school can still get a consent form at their child's school. KCHD also offers the following information for parents:
1. If your child is under 10 and has already received a H1N1 vaccine, he or she will need a second dose after waiting at least 21 days. KCHD is planning to hold a second phase of school clinics in January for children who need another dose. If your child is age 10 or older, he or she only needs one dose.
2. KCHD recommends vaccinating your child even if you think he or she may have had H1N1 flu. Currently, only about 23 percent of samples sent to the state lab are actually flu, so vaccination will ensure they are protected.
3. Flu antiviral drugs, such as Tamiflu or Relenza, should not be taken less than 48 hours prior to getting the intranasal vaccine. If your child has taken either of these medications within 48 hours of his or her school's vaccination clinic, please send a note to the school office the day before the scheduled clinic so KCHD staff can pull their consent form. Your child will not be vaccinated during the school clinic.
4. All intranasal flu vaccines need to be separated by at least 21 days. H1N1 intranasal vaccine is manufactured and administered the same as FluMist, except with a different flu strain (FluMist is the registered name of the seasonal flu intranasal vaccine manufactured by MedImmune that has been administered in Knox County schools for the past five years to prevent seasonal flu. Knox County Schools have not closed due to seasonal flu during that time. Two Knox County schools were closed last spring following CDC guidelines for H1N1 flu. Those recommendations have since changed.) The H1N1 intranasal mist is a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), which is FDA approved for healthy, non-pregnant people between the ages of 2 and 49 years old. There is no risk of developing the flu from a live virus vaccine. NO cases of flu have been linked to receiving LAIV. According to Tennessee Department of Health, there have been no reports of adverse events in the state related to the H1N1 vaccine. The vaccine is safe and effective.
Knox County's in-school flu vaccination program, which began in 2004, is a national model for community flu prevention campaigns. Evidence supports vaccinating children as a way to protect the entire community from influenza. Each fall, Knox County public health professionals vaccinate an average of more than 28,000 school children with FluMist during a four-week period. Last year, Head Start students and child care enrollees were added.
Knox County Health Department's flu information line will be open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until further notice: 215-5555. Additional information also can be found at www.knoxcounty.org/flu and www.flu.gov or by calling 211 or the Tennessee Department of Health Flu Information Line at 1-877-252-3432.
KCHD In-School H1N1 Intranasal Vaccine Schedule Dec. 3 & 4
Thursday, December 3rd Clinic Start Time
Central Baptist Early Childhood 9:00 AM
Freedom Christian Academy 8:30 AM
Thackston School 8:30 AM
Central High School 9:00 AM
Knoxville Christian School 8:30 AM
Friday, December 4th Clinic Start Time
Green Elementary 8:30 AM
Norwood Elementary 8:30 AM
Maynard Elementary 8:30 AM
Hardin Valley Elementary 8:30 AM
A. L. Lotts Elementary 8:30 AM
Farragut Primary 8:30 AM
Knoxville Adaptive Education Center 8:30 AM