Created on Friday, 20 November 2009 13:42
Contact: Collette DuValle, 317-373-2391
Health Department H1N1 School Clinics Complete Second Week
The Marion County Health Department has vaccinated more than 35,700 elementary-aged students in the first two weeks of school-based H1N1 flu clinics.
The total of 35,752 students does not included a predicted 6,000 elementary-aged students expected at tomorrow’s Lawrence Township clinic. The Lawrence Township clinic is restricted to elementary-aged students enrolled in Lawrence Township schools. This is not a clinic open to the general public.
“We appreciate the cooperation extended to the health department by our schools in allowing us to vaccinate these children,” said Virginia Caine, M.D., director, Marion County Health Department.
This past week has posed several challenges for health department officials.
On Tuesday the health department exhausted its supply of flu mist. No mist was available for clinics held Wednesday. A Wednesday shipment provided mist for Thursday. However, that inventory was used and there was no mist available for today’s school-based clinics. Schools were notified in advance of the lack of flu mist. No clinics were cancelled. The health department also held its first after hours school-based clinic. Beech Grove schools hosted their clinic Tuesday afternoon and had a strong turnout.
After the Thanksgiving Day break, health department nurses will begin vaccinating middle and high school students.
