FARMINGTON – Mt. Blue Regional School District will be offering free flu vaccines for students this year. Maine Center for Disease Control recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease. The school located vaccine clinics provide a convenient opportunity for more children to be vaccinated, which makes for a safer and healthier school environment. Children who receive flu vaccine are much less likely to get the flu and miss school.
Paperwork about the flu vaccine clinics was recently sent home with students. The completed Health Screen and Permission Form must be returned to your child’s school in order for them to receive vaccine. Contact your child’s school nurse if you have questions or if you need additional copies of the permission form. Copies of the vaccine information and permission form are also available on the website at www.MtBlueRSD.org.
There are many advantages to having your child vaccinated in a school-based clinic. The vaccine is provided from the Maine Immunization Program and is free for all students. Some insurance carriers will be billed for administering the vaccine, but there are no co-payments and no costs will be passed on to families. Parents are not required to attend the clinics and thus do not need to worry about missing work or arranging transportation. Because the vaccine clinics are during the school day, children do not need to be pulled from school for an appointment with their health care provider. A record of the vaccine will be entered into the State’s Immunization Registry and will be available for your child’s health care provider as needed.
It is not certain what type of flu vaccine will be available. If possible, the intranasal mist vaccine will be used on eligible students. Flu “shots” will be given if this vaccine is not available or for students with health issues that prevent the use of intranasal mist. Parents are welcome but not required to attend the vaccine clinic. Contact your child’s school nurse to make arrangements if you want to be with your child.
If you have questions about flu or flu vaccine, please contact your child’s medical provider, their school nurse, or the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.maineflu.gov or at 1-800-867-4775. Also www.flu.gov.
These are the anticipated dates for the vaccine clinic in each school. Parents will be notified through a PowerSchool or a take-home announcement if the date is changed. Vaccine will only be given to students with returned permission forms.
- Mt. Blue High School: Monday, October 27, 2014
- Cascade Brook School: Wednesday, October 29, 2014
- Mt. Blue High School: Tuesday, November 4, 2014
- Cape Cod Hill School: Wednesday, November 5, 2014
- Academy Hill and Cushing Schools: Thursday, November 6, 2014
- Mallett School: Thursday, November 13, 2014
