Parents Are Reminded to Turn In Signed Permission Slips

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System is very fortunate to once again offer free influenza vaccinations to all district students. Elementary student immunizations are underway in schools, so parents should ensure they fill out parental permission forms that were sent home so all children can take advantage of the program.

Registered nurses and trained medical personnel from Health Centers in Schools can only give the vaccinations to children who have parental consent in each school. Administrators urge parents to return the consent form, the last yellow page of the packet, to the school as soon as possible with a signature and all questions answered. This is especially important as the time approaches to begin giving middle and high school students their immunizations, because they are most likely not to return forms.

The vaccination fights against both seasonal influenza and swine flu and will be in the form of an inhalant known as Flumist for healthy children. Any child with asthma, chronic disease or immune deficiencies will receive an injection instead.

As the flu season approaches, children generally are the first people infected before spreading it to families and other children. The school district can reduce the number of flu cases in the community – but only if parents return the consent form fully completed and signed. For more information, parents can contact their child’s school or call Health Centers in School at 343-9505.