School-based influenza immunization.
June 27th, 2008 | by admin |School-based influenza immunization.
Annual influenza vaccination of schoolchildren will protect individual vaccines and, with high coverage, may protect entire communities. Because schoolchildren are more difficult to reach than preschoolers, school-based immunization programs may be needed to reach a high percentage of children. We offered free live, attenuated influenza vaccine to all healthy schoolchildren (K-12) in three Minnesota counties. Counties vaccinated from 33% to 58% of students. Overall, 41% of enrolled children were vaccinated. Elementary students were vaccinated at higher rates than older students. Administrative costs averaged $9.78 per dose delivered. School-based immunization programs offer the potential to achieve higher vaccination coverage of schoolchildren at modest cost.
Hull HF, Frauendienst RS, Gundersen ML, Monsen SM, Fishbein DB.
HF Hull and Associates, 1140 St. Dennis Ct., Saint Paul, MN 55116, United States.