Maine health officials have sent a shipment of H1N1 “swine flu” vaccine to Lincoln County and school system officials plan to set up clinics to treat school children next week.
“I was told a shipment of vaccine was sent to Miles Memorial Hospital on Tuesday. We plan to schedule inoculations for students between Nov. 13 and 24th, said Supt. Robert Bouchard.
As soon as the system schedules the vaccination clinics, Bouchard said officials will notify parents. A clinic schedule will be posted on The Lincoln County News website when it is available.
Nobleboro Central School Principal Mark Deblois said his school is ready to receive the vaccines.
“Our attendance has been pretty good,” he said.
Nurses have been participating in practice sessions on how the clinics will operate. The principal said the school has had a large number of vaccine signups.
Superintendent Frank Boynton, RSU (MSAD) 40, said they already started. On Nov. 9, they conducted 1470 vaccines, treating roughly 800 students between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
He said school staff still have 120 students signed up for both vaccinations at the Miller School, Medomak Valley High School and Medomak Middle School on Wed., Nov. 18 at 9 a.m. All information regarding the vaccination is available on the district website (www.msad40.org).
At the Sheepscott Valley RSU 12, school officials have announced they will have vaccination clinics at schools beginning Nov. 24. Students are now bringing permission slips home for parents to sign. Once permission is granted, a student will be scheduled for inoculation.
At Lincoln Academy, Ricki Waltz, the school nurse, said she has received a shipment of vaccine and recently vaccinated more than 200 LA students.
“We send home a permission and information sheet with the students. When the kids bring the signed permission slips back, we tell them to roll up their sleeves,” she said.
Waltz said she has also vaccinated about a dozen at-risk children from the community, in addition to the LA students.
“I have enough vaccine to treat some community children, between the ages of 4 and 18, who have chronic health problems,” she said.
Parents who cannot find swine flu vaccine from other sources can call Waltz at Lincoln Academy to schedule a vaccination session, she said.