Stop Flu at School vaccination clinics begin

Stop Flu at School, the school-located influenza (flu) vaccination program for Hawaii children in kindergarten through eighth grade, has kicked off its eighth year.

The free and voluntary Hawaii State Department of Health program, which in 2013 helped protect more than 70,000 school children and school faculty from flu, will continue statewide in more than 300 public, private, and charter schools through Dec. 19.

“Stop Flu at School helps our keiki stay healthy and in school. By preventing the spread of illness to classmates, families, and communities, it reduces lost work days, saves lives, and lowers healthcare costs,” said Health Director Dr. Linda Rosen. “From a public health perspective, it strengthens the state’s ability to respond to infectious disease emergencies like pandemic influenza.”

This year, the Hawaii Association of Health Plans members contributed $815,000 to the program for the 2014-15 school year. Additional funding comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total program cost is approximately $1.7 million.

The program, which kicked off last week, requires the state department to orchestrate more than 1,000 clinic staff, including volunteers from the Hawaii Medical Reserve Corps and the Department of Defense.

Stop Flu at School is a partnership between the Department of Health with the Department of Education, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and Hawaii Catholic Schools. It is endorsed by the Hawaii Chapters of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians.