H1N1 Virus

USD 489 has scheduled H1N1 vaccines for all students as soon as the vaccine becomes avaialble.  There are many questions and concerns about the vaccine not only from parents, but from staff as well. Below is some very good information from Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, MD who is the Director of Health for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

http://www.ldchealth.org/pdf/H1N1/OpEd_by_Dr%20_Eberhart-Phillips%20vax%20safety.pdf

Most of the vaccine being distributed in Kansas at this time is the nasal spray.  This is a live, attenuated vaccine.  Attenuated means it is a weakened form of the virus.  Those who get the live vaccine may shed a very small amount of virus for a couple of days.  The virus is shed in lower titers than typically occur with shedding of the actual H1N1 virus.  So even if transmission were to occur, there are not enough viral particles to make a person ill.  This is a safe and effective vaccine for prevention of pandemic influenza.

There is an inactivated vaccine also available, which is given as a shot. This will be available for pregnant women, children with chronic health conditions such as asthma and diabetes, and children under 2 and those age 50 and older. 

The vaccine is arriving slowly and we will be scheduling the other schools as enough vaccine becomes available.  At this time, we are only vaccinating the students through the schools. 

Thank you for all your efforts to prevent the spread of illness in our schools.

Mary Ann Shorman
USD 489 Lead Nurse

Important Links

H1N1 Informational Video | USD 489 Flu Plan | Influenza-like Illness Screening Tool | Influenza-like Illness Screening Tool (Spanish)

Read About O'Loughlin School's Clinic in the Hays Daily News