Swine Flu Vaccine Coming to a School Near You?

Schools back in session for some and around the corner for others. But health officials and school officials are worried that another school year could mean an increase in the number of H1N1 cases. The Allen County Health Department has been working closely with schools for the past two months trying to figure out how to get a swine flu vaccine into the classrooms. Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Deborah McMahan says they’ve been “looking at creating different scenarios” on how they can make sure that young kids get the vaccine. But that might now be easier said than done. Dr. McMahan says “the concern is that we may not get the full amount that we had hoped for.” Federal officials are currently saying that the swine flu vaccine, expected to have been fully available late October, might now be released in limited doses. “I think were doing a great job at getting ready. I think by the time we need to be ready we will be ready” says Janet Archer of the Indiana State Department of Health. The Indiana Department of Education is also working with the Department of Health on a state-wide level. “We know that school children are generally prone to catching the flu each and every year so we would assume that this situation would be no different” says Indiana State Superintendent of Education Tony Bennett. Come October only at-risks groups, such as children, will be able to receive the vaccine. “People under the age of 25 are acquiring most of the disease and have the highest hospitalization rate” adds Dr. McMahan. Now even if the vaccine does become available, the Allen County Health Department still is unsure how much of the vaccine they will be allotted, if more than one shot will be necessary, and who will administer the shots to the nearly 75-thousand kids in the county.