LEWISTON — As H1N1 flu cases break out around the country, H1N1 vaccines will be given to students in Lewiston schools beginning Oct. 26, Lewiston school nurse Cathy Liguori said Friday.

Auburn schools have not yet scheduled H1N1 vaccine clinics, but they’re expected to be held in late October or early November, Assistant Superintendent Katy Grondin said.

In Lewiston, permission slips to elementary school parents will go home Monday, Oct. 19.

“Parents should be looking for them,” Liguori said. Students cannot receive the vaccine unless their parent has returned the permission slip to the school. Liguori said schools would like the forms returned by Thursday,
Oct. 22. “We want them back as soon as possible so we can determine how much vaccine we need,” she said.

High school students will receive the permission forms on Oct. 21 and are to return them to school by Oct. 26.

Health officials are recommending students receive the vaccine “to protect students from H1N1, their friends and family. We’ve gotten a lot of calls from parents since the outbreak at Bates.” Parents have asked when the vaccine would be available. “There’s a slight increase in death with young children” who come down with the disease, she said.

After receiving the vaccine, it takes eight to nine days for the body to develop an immunity for children 10 and older, the nurse said. Children under 10 will need a second dose, which will be provided at school.

Vaccines will be given at different schools for one day. The schedule: Farwell, Oct. 26; Longley, Oct. 27; Montello, Oct. 28; Geiger, Oct. 29; McMahon, Oct. 30; Lewiston High School, Nov. 2; Lewiston Middle School, Nov. 3; and Martel, Nov. 4.

For most students, the vaccines will not be shots, but nasal sprays. “No pain, easy,” Liguori said.

The nasal spray is a diluted, live virus, so children with underlying health issues should not have it, Liguori said. Those health issues include asthma, diabetes, any heart issues. Students with a cold can have the vaccine “as long as they don’t have a really bad, runny nose.”

Children with health issues will be given a shot, which has a “dead virus” but will still provide coverage.

Nurses will rely on the health screening and the permission form to determine which students need a shot instead of the nasal spray.

Last month 1,617 regular seasonal flu shots were given in Lewiston schools, a bit less than 40 percent. That was higher than the projected 30 percent of students who officials thought would receive the shots.

In Auburn, schools are planning for clinics, but the dates are not yet known. The state has changed when the vaccines will be available in Auburn, Grondin said.

Auburn will offer the vaccines differently than the seasonal flu shots last month.

For pre-K-8 students, there’ll be two clinics, one at Sherwood Heights and another at Park Avenue schools, from 4 to 7 p.m. on different nights, Grondin said. Students and parents can attend either clinic, expected to be later this month or early November.

Middle and high school students will be offered the vaccines at school. Permission slips will be going home early next week and should be returned by Oct. 26, Grondin said.

H1N1 flu vaccine schedule: Farwell, Oct. 26; Longley, Oct. 27;
Montello, Oct. 28; Geiger, Oct. 29; McMahon, Oct. 30; Lewiston High
School, Nov. 2; Lewiston Middle School, Nov. 3; and Martel, Nov. 4.
For more information: www.maineflu.gov or www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/parents

Martel Elementary students pose for a picture while getting their flu shots last month. Schools are now gearing up to give the H1N1 vaccines to students whose parents have returned permission slips. From left are Amber Smith, Morgan Kimball, Margoth Estrada, Matthew Charest, Jacob Gosselin, Brian Patterson, Tyler Labonte, Ben Cyr, Dominick Adams, Colin Morin and Dominique Sepulveda.