The Westerville City School District is partnering with Health Heroes, Inc. to offer flu vaccination clinics again this year for any student enrolled in the District. The district piloted the Flu Mist program for the State of Ohio in 2014, with the goal of reducing absenteeism. In late July, 2016, the Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices announced that the “nasal spray” flu vaccine would not be offered during the 2016-17 flu season as an alternative to flu vaccine injections. The Westerville City School District will continue to participate in “Health Heroes” flu clinics - administering only the preservative-free, recommended IIV flu vaccine injection. Parents are welcome to be with their child when receiving the vaccination, but it is not required.
The vaccination clinics will be in each of our schools on either October 18 or 19, 2016. Please confirm the date with your building’s nurse one week prior to the event.
Students with private insurance or Medicaid will be provided the vaccine with no out of pocket expenses or deductibles, but parents must complete a consent form and submit it to the school nurse. Student participation is voluntary. Qualifying uninsured students will be given the vaccine, free of charge. Additional details, on this year’s Health Heroes flu clinics were provided to families in Back to School materials.
To find further details, including a copy of the Patient Consent Form, please visit www.wcsoh.org and click on “Health Heroes Vaccination Clinic.”