Health, School District: Flu Mist Inoculation Is Easy, Effective, Painless

By John Voket

The Newtown School District’s medical advisor and local Health District director are extolling the virtues and availability of a flu mist — which they say is one of the safest, most effective, and virtually pain-free ways for children to become protected from the current H1N1 or swine flu virus.

Both Dr Anna Paula Machado, the school’s official medical consultant, and NHD Director Donna Culbert told The Newtown Bee that the nasal inhalant is not only preferred because it keeps younger children from the trauma of a more painful shot in the arm, but because it is in fairly robust supply compared to the injectable version of the vaccine.

“This is a great way to get a vaccine to children,” Dr Machado said. “It’s wonderful because it works so effectively — it makes perfect sense.”

Ms Culbert’s district is the lead for the Mass Dispensing Area (MDA) including Newtown, Bridgewater, Brookfield, and Roxbury.

“We should be receiving vaccine for the populations for these towns, hopefully weekly, or as it becomes available,” she said. “Then is administered by nurses from the Bethel VNA, the Danbury VNA, and the New Milford VNA, with strong support from our Newtown VNA.”

The Newtown Health District is busy answering calls and trying to stay current with the daily inflow of information from the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding H1N1 (or swine flu). Ms Culbert said the current trend of H1N1 is an enormous challenge on many levels.

“The calls and anxiety continue to mount as the flu season marches on, because H1N1 is a virus which most folks have no or little immunity to, so most are at risk of acquiring it if exposed,” the health director said. “It appears to be less severe than seasonal flu, although its still early to be making broad generalizations. Nationwide, people have suffered serious complications and death from H1N1.”

Locally, many, many residents have likely had H1N1 and have fully recovered, she added.

“The H1N1 virus should be taken seriously though, as all are susceptible, and there is no way to be certain who will have serious complications,” Ms Culbert said.

According to the latest information from the district, there is limited vaccine available to administer to residents and, as such, there are priority lists upon subpriority lists in an effort to vaccinate those who seem to be at highest risk.

The health district is continuing to host clinics for pregnant women, household contacts and caregivers of children less than 6 months, health care workers and EMS with direct patient contact, and young children (6 months to 6 years).

“We will continue to target those populations and gradually open the age group to 24 years,” Ms Culbert said. “We have been trying to vaccinate the youngest as they require their parents presence, with the intent of vaccinating older children with parental consent, but possibly in the school setting.”

To date, the local health district has sponsored clinics at the Newtown High School on November 3, 10, and 17; at Whisconier Middle School November 9 and 16; and worked with New Milford to co-sponsor clinic for the Region 12 school district on November 4.

Ms Culbert said a few smaller targeted clinics are planned for EMS personnel in the member towns. All clinics require registration, however; there are no walk-ins as vaccine is limited.

The intention of that concept is to vaccinate most efficiently.

“It is still in concept phase, as we do not have enough vaccine to accomplish that yet,” she said. “If we can proceed, information will be sent home to parents. But, again, parental consent is mandatory to vaccinate a child — no child will be vaccinated without parental consent.”

Since shots are limited in supply, they should only be administered to people who cannot take mist. And Dr Machado is confident the mist is the best and most available preventative treatment as it is targeted at the area where influenza is most frequently contracted.

“Since you can catch the flu through the nasal passages, it puts the vaccine right where it should be,” Dr Machado said, adding that the state Department of Health guidelines currently stipulate that shots should not be administered when flu mist can be used instead.

Dr Machado said she often comforts concerned parents by reassuring that in her entire career, she has never seen a dangerous reaction from a flu vaccine.

“I’ve seen a runny nose, a low grade fever, maybe some body aches the next day...that’s about it,” she said.

She also suggests that some of the misinformation about people getting the flu from the vaccine may stem from them contracting the flu where already infected individuals may gather with healthy people — like at mass dispensing flu shot clinics.

“Flu clinics do put a large group of people together in one closed location, so while its easy to blame the vaccine, those who came away infected with the flu likely caught it from someone in that group who was already contagious,” she said.

The health district director said it is critically important to continue promoting what people can do to protect themselves: cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands often and thoroughly, avoid sick people, do not share personal items, stay home from work and school when sick, and follow doctors orders with regard to medication.

“Behave as if there was no vaccine — do everything you can to maintain your health,” Ms Culbert said. “I expect more vaccine supply will become available in the coming weeks and months.”

For information, visit the website www.newtown-ct.gov and go to town departments and then Health District