LBUSD offers flu clinics for children

Last week the Long Beach Unified School District began offering free H1N1 (swine flu) vaccinations at various schools. Hundreds of parents took advantage of the free flu shots for their children at the first flu shot clinics to combat the H1N1 virus.

Additional H1N1 vaccination clinics are planned for:

• Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Wilson Classical High School from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. This flu shot clinic is for students ages 3 to 18.
• Saturday, Nov. 21 at Millikan High School from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This flu shot clinic will serve adults and children.

Parents and guardians of children who have asthma, diabetes, and other medical conditions that put youngsters at greater risk of flu complications are encouraged by health officials to consider taking advantage of this first round of clinics. Parents and guardians must accompany their children and sign consent forms in person.

Two initial flu vaccine clinics were held earlier this week by the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services at Cabrillo and Jordan high schools. The school district’s scheduling of additional flu clinics is dependent upon future shipments of the vaccine. Large-scale distribution of the H1N1 flu vaccine has been hampered by delays nationwide.

At the first clinic, all 1,900 or so people who lined up for a vaccination received one by day’s end.

The school district has worked closely with the city’s Health Department to plan the local clinics. LBUSD, however, is neither requiring nor recommending H1N1 vaccination for students but is simply hosting clinics for parents’ convenience. Anyone with questions about the vaccine should speak with their doctor.