Newcastle Schools Receive H1N1 Vaccines

Staff and Wire Reports

NEWCASTLE, Oklahoma -- The McClain County Health Department administered the H1N1 vaccine to the students of the Newcastle School System.

"They were starting to have an increase in the amount of flu in their school system," said Beverly Bynum with the McClain County Health Department. "We'd been monitoring the schools all over Cleveland and McClain counties, and we're watching to see the trends."

Students at the elementary school received FluMist nasal spray vaccinations beginning at about noon Wednesday. The middle school will receive vaccines Thursday and high school students will be bused to the middle school to receive the vaccine.

A total of 1,600 doses will be administered. Only students with signed consent forms by parents or guardians were able to receive the vaccine.

"We have forms that were sent from the County Health Department that they sent out to us," Newcastle Superintendent Dr. Robert Everett said. "We sent those out with our kids on Monday."

The doses were distributed to regional health districts across the state based on population.

Health officials are recommending school-age children be among the first to receive the vaccination. Teachers are also seeking to receive the vaccine.

"I see this as a big benefit for me, so that I can stay healthy and be here for my students and my family at home," Newcastle P.E. teacher Dana Chambers said.

The state expects another 44,000 doses next week, including some of the injectable variety.

There have been no confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus within the Newcastle School System. Seasonal flu cases have been reported, however.