ESD to offer free swine flu vaccinations

Students must register by Oct. 30 to receive vaccine

By Evan Jensen

The Estacada News, Oct 28, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

File photo / Estacada News

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An estimated 8 to 10 percent of students in the Estacada School District are currently out sick, ESD Administrative Assistant Terri Lloyd said. With an estimated 200 daily absences district-wide, some of those students are battling the discomfort of influenza or the symptoms of the H1N1 virus, but the district doesn’t have concrete numbers for how many may have been sickened by the flu or the H1N1 virus.

However, to keep attendance in check and keep students healthy, the ESD plans to offer an H1N1 vaccination clinic the second week in November for all students in the district.

“Students can register for the vaccine right now,” Lloyd said. “They need to sign up by October 30, which is Friday. The caveat is when the vaccine will show up, but we’re hoping we will have our supply by the second week in November.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the H1N1 virus is widespread throughout the U.S. with cases confirmed in 46 states. And with the fast-spreading virus, there’s been a rush to obtain the vaccination. Last week the Clackamas County Health Department opened a free H1N1 vaccination clinic and exhausted its supply in one day. Nationwide, only about 28 to 30 million doses of the H1N1 vaccination have been distributed, with an estimated 10 million more to arrive later in the season. In Oregon, approximately 80,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine have been received with more scheduled to arrive this week, according to state health officials.

“This kind of delay commonly occurs during flu vaccine production,” Oregon Public Health Director Dr. Mel Kohn said. “It’s just the biology of the virus. No corners are being cut when it comes to the safety of manufacturing this vaccine. It’s meeting the same high standards as the seasonal flu vaccine. …We know that demand for the vaccine is very high and we are asking people to be patient until it comes to their community. … Although we wish we had more vaccine to give now, there will still be value in vaccinating people in the coming months.”

Symptoms of H1N1 swine flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, according to the CDC. In addition, many people with swine flu have had diarrhea and vomiting. The virus is mainly spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something — such as a surface or object with the virus on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

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