Swine Flu Vaccinations for Sarasota County Elementary Students to begin Friday Nov. 6

The attached audio excerpt was taken from the Friday Oct 30 Sarasota County Health Department's weekly Swine Flu update. The Sarasota County Health Department (SCHD) is working with school district officials to begin offering H1N1 flu vaccinations to elementary-age students at public schools in the county. The vaccine is voluntary and is not a required vaccine for school attendance. A parent/legal guardian must accompany their elementary-school-age child/children who will be receiving the vaccine at after-school and Saturday clinics. Health officials say that the H1N1 vaccination clinics listed below are open to those who attend public and private schools as well as home-schooled students. Parents/legal guardians of elementary school students should bring the consent form with them when they accompany their child/children to these vaccination sites. Health officials emphasize that these scheduled clinics are for elementary and Pre-K school children only. Vaccinations will be scheduled at middle schools and high schools in the near future. Vaccination sessions will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6 and 13 For elementary and Pre-K students at the following locations: Emma E. Booker Elementary School 2350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Way, Sarasota Tuttle Elementary School 2863 8th Street, Sarasota Ashton Elementary School 5110 Ashton Road, Sarasota Garden Elementary School 700 Center Road, Venice Laurel Nokomis School 1900 East Laurel Road, Nokomis Cranberry Elementary School 2775 Shalimar Terrace, North Port Saturday vaccinations will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 7 and 14 for elementary and Pre-K students at the following locations: Cranberry Elementary School 2775 Shalimar Terrace, North Port Laurel Nokomis School 1900 East Laurel Road, Nokomis Children’s Health Center Glasser Schoenbaum Human Services Center 1750 17th St., Bldg. E, Sarasota Sarasota County Health and Human Services 2200 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota Children age 9 and under will need two doses, given at least three weeks apart, to get the best protection. Parents will be advised about locations in the community for the second vaccine. The Sarasota County Health Department and community partners will offer drive-through and walk-in vaccine clinics to everyone once ample supplies of vaccine have arrived in the county. This is likely to be sometime after Thanksgiving. The school vaccine clinic information will be posted on the following Web sites: Sarasota County Health Department www.sarasotahealth.org Sarasota County School District http://www.sarasotacountyschools.net/ Parents with questions can call 941-927-9000, ext. 32101 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Information on H1N1 vaccine availability for the general population will be available on www.sarasotahealth.org. Those who do not have access to a computer can visit the health kiosks at local libraries across the county. Residents can also call the Flu Information Line at 941-861-2800, or the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 later in November. The Sarasota County Call Center has a TDD line, 941-861-1833, available for those who are hearing impaired. People can also call the Florida Flu Information Line for general questions about H1N1. That toll-free number is 877-352-3581.