H1N1 Vaccines Dribbling Into Harford Schools, Available This Week In Aberdeen/HdG

Supplies of the H1N1 FluMist vaccine are “dribbling in”, according the Harford County Health Department spokesman Bill Wiseman. Wiseman told The Dagger that students whose parents had granted permission would be offered the vaccine by the end of the day today (Tuesday) at Aberdeen Middle School, Halls Crossroads Elementary and Roye Williams Elementary.

Students at The John Archer School received the injectable version of the vaccine last week. The schools where the H1N1 vaccine has been administered so far were among the first to show an outbreak in Harford County Public Schools. Wiseman said future administration of the vaccine would depend on supply.

Bel Air Elementary School was the eighth Harford County public school affected by an outbreak of what health officials suspect is the H1N1 flu virus. Both Harford County Public Schools and the Harford County Health Department are monitoring the absence rates and the number of visits to health suites in all 53 public schools in the county and notifying parents by letter when an outbreak occurs. An outbreak is identified at a school when the number of students with symptoms of “influenza-like illness” exceeds five in one day and the absence rate rises to double the school’s baseline rate. Parents at John Archer School received a letter due to the special nature of the school population.

Here’s a summary provided by HCPS of the schools where outbreaks have occurred, and their absence rates as of October 19. Absence rates for October 20 are as of 3 p.m.and subject to modification.