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2009 H1N1 Infuenza (Flu) Vaccine |
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Friday, 16 October 2009 |
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that certain
groups receive the 2009 H1N1
influenza (flu) vaccine when it first becomes available.
H1N1 Letter to Parents
H1N1 - CDC Brochure For Parents
H1N1 - 10 Things You Can Do
These target groups
include:
- Pregnant women
- Persons who live with or provide care
for infants less than 6 months old
- Health-care and emergency medical
services personnel
- Persons
between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old
- Persons
between the ages of 25 and 64 years old who have medical conditions that
put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications including people who have cancer,
blood disorders (including sickle cell disease), chronic lung disease
[including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)],
diabetes, heart disease (except hypertension), kidney disorders, liver
disorders, neurological disorders (including nervous system, brain or
spinal cord).
According to the Erie County Department of Health
(ECDOH), the best place for your child to receive vaccination for H1N1 will be from his/her healthcare
provider. The ECDOH is encouraging and
supporting ALL healthcare providers to administer the H1N1 vaccine to their
patients in the above initial target groups. Healthcare providers can
receive the H1N1 vaccine at no cost simply by registering with the NYS
Department of Health at https://hcsteamwork1.health.state.ny.us/pub/toph1n1.html.
The ECDOH will do everything possible to ensure the
H1N1 vaccine is preferentially shipped to those healthcare providers who have
registered as above as soon as it becomes available. However, it is important to note that your child's healthcare
provider will likely not have the H1N1 vaccine until at least mid to late
October. We encourage you to begin
to educate yourself now by visiting the web links below and by talking to your
child's healthcare provider.
The ECDOH recognizes that some children may be
unable to receive the H1N1 vaccine from their healthcare provider. Therefore Lake Shore Central Schools is
partnering with the ECDOH to provide access to vaccination for children who
attend public, charter, non-public, and parochial schools in the Lake Shore
School Community AND who are unable to
get vaccinated against H1N1 by their healthcare provider. Dates and locations will be announced when
this information is available. Please
check the Lake Shore Central Schools website at www.lakeshore.wnyric.org or www.erie.gov/health for the most
current information.
The
CDC has also recommended that all children over the age of 6 months receive the
seasonal flu vaccine. While the best place to receive seasonal flu vaccination is also from
your child's healthcare provider, it is important to note that many healthcare
providers have not received their entire order of seasonal flu vaccine yet.
Therefore, we suggest you continue to check back with them as the CDC
has assured us that there will eventually be plenty of the seasonal flu vaccine. A
listing of other sites in the community where individuals 9 years of age and
older could receive the seasonal flu vaccine can be found at www.erie.gov/immunizewny or by
calling the local agency flu shot hotlines listed below.
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Visiting Nurses Association 716-630-8330
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Maxim Health Systems 877-962-9358
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Independent Nursing Care
716-805-1020
You can find much more information about both seasonal and H1N1
influenza and vaccines at:
- Lake Shore Central
Schools (www.lakeshore.wnyric.org)
- ECDOH (www.erie.gov/health/swine_flu.asp)
- NYSDOH (www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/influenza/h1n1/)
- CDC (www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/)
- Flu.gov (www.flu.gov/)
We look forward to joining you in making
this a healthy school year for your family and our community.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey R. Rabey
Superintendent of Schools
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Last Updated ( Friday, 16 October 2009 )
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