FARMINGTON — Mt. Blue Regional School District will offer free flu vaccines for students beginning Oct. 27 at Mt. Blue Middle School.

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease, Regional School Unit 9 nurse Karen Marceau said in a news release.

School vaccine clinics provide a convenient opportunity for more children to be vaccinated, which makes for a safer and healthier school environment. Children who receive flu vaccine are much less likely to get the flu and miss school, the release said.

Paperwork about the flu vaccine clinics recently was sent home with students.

The completed health screen and permission form must be returned to a child’s school in order for them to receive a vaccine. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s school nurse if they have questions or if they need additional copies of the permission form.

Copies of the vaccine information and permission form are also available online at www.mtbluersd.org.

The vaccine is provided from the Maine Immunization Program and is free for all students. Some insurance carriers will be billed for administering the vaccine, but there are no co-payments and no costs will be passed on to families.

Parents are not required to attend the clinics and therefore do not need to worry about missing work or arranging transportation. Because the vaccine clinics are during the school day, children do not need to be pulled from school for an appointment with their health care provider.

A record of the vaccine will be entered into the state’s Immunization Registry and will be available for a child’s health care provider as needed.

It is not certain what type of flu vaccine will be available. If possible, the intranasal mist vaccine will be used on eligible students. Flu shots will be given if this vaccine is not available or for students with health issues that prevent the use of intranasal mist. Parents are welcome but not required to attend the vaccine clinic. Parents are asked to contact their child’s school nurse to make arrangements if they want to be with their child.

For questions about flu or the flu vaccine, contact the child’s medical provider, their school nurse or the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.maineflu.gov or at 1-800-867-4775.

Vaccines will only be given to students with returned permission forms.

The anticipated dates for the vaccine clinic in each school.

* Mt. Blue Middle School School, Monday, Oct. 27;

* Cascade Brook School, Wednesday, Oct. 29;

* Mt. Blue High School, Tuesday, Nov. 4;

* Cape Cod Hill School: Wednesday, Nov. 5;

* Academy Hill and Cushing Schools: Thursday, Nov. 6;

* Mallett School: Thursday, Nov. 13.

Parents will be notified through a PowerSchool, an online information system, or a take-home announcement if the date is changed.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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