School-based flu clinics: Engaging the community to promote flu vaccinations for school-age youth

Preventing disease and keeping our children healthy is a priority for all of us. One of the best ways to protect our children's health is through vaccinations. Seasonal influenza is a serious disease that can spread quickly among children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children typically have the highest attack rates during community outbreaks of the flu and children can spread the illness very quickly to their friends, neighbors and family members. Protecting our children from influenza protects all of us. During the 2010 H1N1 pandemic, local public health, the schools and local health care providers convened to plan how to provide school-located flu clinics in a cost efficient manner. Building upon this collaboration, this group has continued to expand a model to offer school flu clinics at 29 elementary schools in our county in 2012. This presentation will describe the model used, lessons learned and what the impact these clinics have had on both immunization and illness rates in this population of school age youth in our community.