Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – While some students winced, there were no tears last Wednesday as the SAD 1 Health Services Office hosted a seasonal influenza clinic at Presque Isle Middle School.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
KATELYN SUMMERSON, a sixth-grader at Presque Isle Middle School, winces as she receives her flu vaccine from Carole Olore, RN, at last Wednesday’s flu shot clinic held at the school. Thanks to federal stimulus money, SAD 1 is offering free flu shots to every student in grades 1 through 12, provided their parents sign a permission form. To date, 336 students from PIMS and Mapleton Elementary School have been vaccinated. Additional clinics will be held this month at Pine Street Elementary School, Zippel Elementary School and Presque Isle High School.
Thanks to federal stimulus money, SAD 1 is offering free flu shots to every student in grades 1 through 12, provided their parents sign a permission form.
“The vaccines came to the district free of charge through the state,” said Deb Raymond, health services director. “I ordered 900 vaccines, which is worth about $9,000. That’s a big savings to parents.
“We’ll be giving vaccines to just over 800 students. I ordered 900 because we have to give our smaller children who have not had a vaccine before two doses,” she said. “We’re not vaccinating our pre-kindergarten or kindergarten students, so when you subtract them from the overall enrollment, that leaves about 1,753 kids who were offered the vaccine, and of those, we got about 800 release forms back. I’ve been really surprised with the return rate … I really didn’t think it would be as good as it has been.”
Raymond said all of the students who have received a shot so far have been “very, very brave.”
“I’ve been very pleased,” she said. “They’ve been wonderful. We’ve only had a handful for whom it was very difficult, but even then we had a little girl this morning come back and say, ‘I’ve changed my mind. I want to try it,’ and she got her shot.
“All in all, it’s been a positive experience,” said Raymond.
Sixth-grader Lauren Graves said on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of nervousness, she was a 10 right before receiving her shot.
“I was really nervous because I don’t like shots at all,” she said. “I was a 10 and my legs were shaking. Now that it’s done, it didn’t really hurt. It felt like a mosquito bite.
“My Mom and Dad wanted me to get the shot so that I wouldn’t get the flu and so that I could be healthy,” said Graves. “I’ve never had the flu before but this is one way to help so I don’t get it. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, and I would do it again.”
Alyssa Sweeney, who is also in the sixth grade, was a little more at ease with the process.
“When my parents first told me they wanted me to have the flu shot, I was OK with it. I’ve had shots before so it really wasn’t a big deal,” she said. “On a scale of 1 to 10, I was probably a 2. I’m glad I had it done and I think my parents made a good decision. Plus it was free so that helped, too.”
A similar clinic was held Sept. 28 at Mapleton Elementary School.
“Mapleton went really well … I was very, very pleased,” said Raymond. “It took a lot of effort between the staff at Mapleton, the principal, and the custodians, who were great in helping me set up. That made the flow go very well.”
A number of people are making the flu shot clinics possible including nurses from The Aroostook Medical Center, nurses who are presently not working, the SAD 1 staff nurses, as well as parent volunteers.
“I’ve got a lot great people helping make this work,” said Raymond, noting that between 10-15 people will help at each clinic. “I have a number of people giving shots, and then there’s also support staff especially for the little kids who need a lap to sit on or a hug or a hand to hold.”
Raymond said there is talk at the state level to make flu shot clinics an annual event for school districts.
“I don’t know if this is a one-time event or not,” she said, “but I certainly hope it will be something we can do every year. We’ll have to wait and see.
“Last year we saw illnesses very early in the school year and it continued throughout the whole school year,” Raymond said. “It was either flu-related or flu-like complications, so I’m hoping these clinics will help prevent some of that and keep the kids healthy.”
After receiving their vaccine, students get to choose a colorful Band-Aid and sticker, as well as have some crackers and juice before returning to class.
Other clinics will be held Thursday, Oct. 8 at Pine Street Elementary School, Thursday, Oct. 15 at Presque Isle High School and Monday, Oct. 19 at Zippel Elementary School.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
DEVIN GRANT, a sixth-grader at Presque Isle Middle School, takes off his coat in preparation for his flu shot that was administered by Sandra Post, a registered nurse at The Aroostook Medical Center. Through the use of federal stimulus funds, SAD 1 is offering free flu shots to all students in grades 1 through 12, provided their parents sign a permission form. School health officials expect to vaccinate just over 800 students districtwide.
