School district planning H1N1 vaccinations

At its Nov. 3 public work session, the Rockville Centre school district said it has ordered doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine but that it has not received any to date. School district administrators have been working with the Nassau County Dept. of Health to develop a protocol to provide vaccinations to students and appropriate personnel if and when the vaccine arrives.

When the district does receive the vaccine, the first group who will be offered inoculations will be pregnant teachers and staff. Next will be kindergartners, and then students in ascending grade order who have signed permission forms form parents or guardians, depending on how many doses the district receives. Parents and staff will be notified when and if the vaccine is on hand.

Although cases of the flu have been reported in the district, Eileen Kahmi, assistant superintendent for support services, said the numbers of absences are slightly higher than normal in some schools, but “not unusual.” Both Kahmi and the district’s nurse practitioner, Tara Algerio-Vento, are in frequent communication with the county department of health and Kahmi said they are following all guidelines that are being issued.

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