By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
JEFFERSON — Ashtabula County health officials will meet with school administrators next week to discuss H1N1 flu vaccination clinics that are apparently headed to school buildings this fall.
“I feel positive that clinics will be held,” said Ray Saporito, county health commissioner. “We’re trying to work out the mechanics and logistics.”
Thursday’s meeting also will stress the importance of prevention education and the need to keep sick students at home, Saporito said.
“After the meeting, we’ll see how all the schools feel,” he said.
School and health officials had met Aug. 20 to discuss the so-called swine-flu virus.
“We discussed potential plans for conducting both education and vaccination throughout Ashtabula County,” Saporito said. “It was a very fruitful discussion.”
County and local health departments are conferring with the Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the flu clinic situation.
“We’re awaiting further guidance from the state health department,” Saporito said.
An H1N1 vaccine is being developed and tested but won’t be ready for use until October at the earliest, according to reports. Millions of doses are reportedly in production, but shortages still may occur, officials have said.
“We thought we would have an unlimited supply,” said Chris Kettunen, the county’s director of nursing. “Now, we hear it might be limited. It’s going to be a challenging time.”
Schools are a good place to launch clinics because some groups of young people are among the most susceptible to the virus, Saporito said. Still unknown is whether the school clinics would include the general public or whether separate clinics will be scheduled. Two doses of the vaccine may be needed to maximize effectiveness, health officials have said.
Any H1N1 clinics will not take the place of the usual influenza clinics held in the fall, officials said.
Guidelines are constantly shifting as health experts learn more about the ailment.
“It’s a very fluid area,” Saporito said. “Today’s recommendations could change next week.”
Another big component of the school plan will be education. Students will be taught to cover their nose and mouth when sneezing, to wash hands often and to stay home if they are sick.
Also, schools will be urged to keep a sharp watch for students who appear ill and send them home when possible.
“Schools will have to monitor the best they can people who are sick,” Saporito said.
H1N1 virus has hospitalized more than 8,800 people in the United States and its territories, according to CDC. Some 556 deaths have been blamed on the virus.
Health experts are continually monitoring the H1N1 situation, said Sally Kennedy, Conneaut health commissioner.
“We’re trying to make sure we can take care of the community the best we can,” she said.
