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FLU SHOTS AT SCHOOL?

Children and young adults are targeted in an H1N1 vaccination program sponsored by the Health Department

Date published: 8/18/2009

BY JIM HALL

The state Health Department is planning to join with schools and other local organizations to vaccinate virtually every child in Virginia against the new H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.

The mass vaccination program is part of a national effort and would be the largest in Virginia in more than 30 years. It is scheduled to begin in mid-October.

The program will be free and voluntary and will target five groups that are said to be at greatest risk for severe illness from the disease.

The largest of the targeted groups are children and young people, ages 6 months to 24 years. In the Fredericksburg area, this amounts to about 116,000 people, according to 2007 census estimates.

"This far, far exceeds what we've ever tried to do before," said Dr. John Petrasky, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District.

The program also will target pregnant women, health care workers, caregivers for babies under 6 months, and adults with other medical conditions, such as asthma.

Targeted groups will get two doses of the vaccine, with the second dose following the first by about 21 days.

Notably absent from the targeted populations are adults over 55, usually a high priority during seasonal flu vaccination campaigns.

Experts say that older adults have not been hit hard by the new H1N1 virus, perhaps because they picked up immunities earlier in their lives.

Lan Nguyen, epidemiologist for the Rappahannock Health District, said she has been notified of several outbreaks of H1N1 in schools and day care centers since spring.

"There haven't been any outbreaks in nursing homes," she added.

The new mass vaccination program will be in addition to the seasonal flu vaccinations that take place each fall. Seasonal flu shots may be given earlier this year to allow time for the H1N1 campaign.

The vaccine is being produced now, and clinical trials are under way, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shipments are expected in October.

This means that the disease, already causing illness, hospitalizations and deaths across the country, may become a greater problem before the vaccine arrives.

"We've had a steady rate of cases occurring all summer, which is not the norm," Petrasky said.

"One should not be surprised if we suddenly have some large outbreaks once school resumes," he added.

The planned mass vaccination program for H1N1 recalls the National Influenza Immunization Program of 1976. Then, as now, the federal government supplied the vaccine to state health departments. The program vaccinated 45 million people against swine flu. But the effort ended after 10 weeks when there was little evidence of the disease. Also, according to a CDC report, the government wanted to study what appeared to be a statistically small link between the vaccine and incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological disease. H1N1, first called swine flu, is like the seasonal flu since it's a respiratory disease. Typical symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat and runny nose. But sufferers also have reported bad headaches, and children frequently have vomiting and diarrhea. Most people who become ill recover without medical treatment. However, the virus continues to cause hospitalizations and deaths. The virus is contagious and is spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Sufferers can infect others from the day prior to the appearance of symptoms to about seven days after, according to the CDC. Sufferers are advised to stay home for 24 hours after the fever ends. State officials set up hot line, e-mail RICHMOND --People who have questions about swine flu can get answers from the Virginia Department of Health by calling a toll-free number. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said Monday that the department is expanding its call center to handle questions about swine flu. The toll-free number is 877/275-8343. Calls will be answered during state business hours. When necessary, Kaine says the hours will be adjusted to accommodate the volume of calls. Questions on swine flu also can be submitted by e-mail to the health department through its Web site, vdh.virginia.gov. -- The Associated Press

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Date published: 8/18/2009

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