TimesLeader.com

October 28

Area schools lead charge against H1N1

By Don McGlynn dmcglynn@theabingtonjournal.com
Reporter/Photographer

On the heels of reporting the school district’s first official cases of H1N1, the Abington Heights School District announced plans to administer the vaccine for the virus.

AHSD reported four cases of H1N1 on Tuesday, Oct. 20; one in the elementary school and three in the high school.

The district, concerned that H1N1 would prove to be a problem this year, registered several months ago to be on the list of schools for the opportunity to distribute the vaccine and is currently in the planning stages to begin doing so.

“Students will have some difficulty getting the vaccine unless they get it through their school system,” said Superintendent Michael Mahon during the board’s monthly meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Dr. Mahon was briefed on the status of the vaccine by the Emergency Management Agency in Jessup, where it was explained that the first focus of the distribution will be to individuals who are pregnant and to schools, before moving on to the general public.

As a result, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has identified school districts as the first line of defense against the flu, making Abington Heights feel they had no choice but to get involved.

“When it came to light that our students would be disadvantaged at being able to access this if we do not participate, and their access would be delayed weeks, potentially months, that really was the factor toward participation,” said Mahon.

The vaccine will be distributed on a purely volunteer basis, and no child will be given the vaccine without a parent’s permission. The board is encouraging parents to discuss the matter with their doctor.

Teachers and administrators will not be eligible for the vaccinations.

At this time, the school had no definite date for when they will be able to begin providing the vaccination. Distribution of the vaccine to the school district will be based on a particular region’s need. Areas with a higher number of confirmed cases will be receiving the vaccine first.

With that understanding, the district is urging students, teachers and administrators to use caution.

“It is very important for students and parents to know that it’s our strong recommendation and request that at the first signs of flu like symptoms students, just please stay home,” said Mahon.

“And then remain home until they are asymptomatic for a full 24 hours. And that would mean without taking Tylenol or Advil. And then when everything’s all said and done and you’re feeling better, wait that extra day before you come back out of respect for all the other people who are here. And if everyone is acting in that way it truly will disrupt the spread of H1N1 in the district.”

Lackawanna Trail School District, has two confirmed cases of H1N1: one in the Jr./Sr. high school and one in the Elementary Center. Lackawanna Trail School District and Lakeland School District have also registered to administer the vaccine.