October 19, 2009
H1N1 Vaccine to be Distributed to Mary Munford Students Monday Morning
While the Times Dispatch is reporting a high number of people with Swine Flu symptoms at the local emergency rooms, H1N1 vaccine is on parents mind in the Near West End. Mary Munford, Richmond City’s only Near West End elementary school, is scheduled to be the first of many Richmond City Schools to hold a mass swine flu inoculation. Any students who return the permission form are able to receive the vaccination for free. A team of 6 nurses will work there way through the school, starting with the Pre-K and Kindergarten classes Monday morning and working their way up to the 5th grade.
Richmond City Health District spokesman George Jones said they are starting with the schools that have the highest return rate for permission forms.
“Nearly 90 percent of permission forms were returned at this school [Mary Munford],” Jones said. A tentative schedule for the rest of the week has been mapped out and will be announced once permission slips are confirmed, he said.
The parents that I’ve spoken with who are chosing not to get the vaccine for their children at school, still plan to get it from their family pediatricians as it becomes available.
With a 90% acceptance rate, I’m curious to know how RCPS has sufficient vaccine when Henrico and Chesterfield do not.
As for those folks who are choosing to wait, good luck with that. H1N1 is running rampant through this area. Your kids will likely get natural immunity before the vaccine is available through the pediatrician.
Our pediatrician told us yesterday (yes, Sunday hours) that there is no seasonal flu in VA right now, so if you test positive for “flu”, it’s presumed to be H1N1.
Kathleen, they didn’t say there was a 90% acceptance rate, they said that 90% of the forms were returned to the school.
…..Which means the child was vaccinated unless they didn’t come to school that day.
I don’t know about Richmond’s supply, but I do know they started with Munford because so many parents send the permission form back. They were able to do the entire school in 1 day. But, there are 26 elementary schools. For children under 10 the dose was split, and the other half will be administered when the other 26 schools have been done.
Also, I wanted to mention that one of the reasons the vaccination only took one day at Munford was because there were many parents and PTA volunteered who helped.
If you have a child school that is lucky enough to get the vaccine, I encourage you to see if you can help on the day they vaccinate.
You’re right; I made the leap that all of those who returned forms were opting in.