Oakland Elementary Students to Receive Free Flu Vaccine

OAKLAND, CA — Oakland elementary school students will receive free flu vaccines this fall in an effort to ensure that as many children as possible are protected from the illness.

The third annual "Shoo the Flu" campaign will target students in public, private and charter schools, as well as schools of the Catholic Archdiocese of Oakland, according the Alameda County Public Health Department
and the Oakland Unified School District. "Getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to
protect yourself and your family from the flu," said Cheryl Burden, program manager of OUSD Nursing Services.

The campaign will start in October and run through early November in more than 100 schools. It will be administered by nurses or supervised nursing students during school hours and only students with completed consent forms will be eligible. The forms will be available at school campuses or www.ShooTheFlu.org.

Students will be given the injections that are recommended by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which are inactivated flu vaccines this year. The nasal spray flu vaccine is not recommended for
the 2016-2017 flu season, according to county officials.

The "Shoo the Flu" campaign is a partnership with the county's public health department, OUSD and the California Department of Public Health and is funded by the Page Family Foundation.

"As a parent and pediatrician, it is so rewarding to provide a service that is convenient for parents and guardians, safe, free to students and staff, and improves the overall health of the community."

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock