Now that school officials in Iberia, St. Martin and St. Mary parishes have been assured of the arrival of sufficient doses of the H1N1 vaccine, schedules for the free immunization of students are being announced across the Teche Area.

The Iberia school system will offer the immunization to students in the school system Dec. 12. The Saturday schedule was chosen so parents can accompany their children and be present during the vaccination, a requirement of the procedure.

Earlier this year the School Board received an unexpectedly positive response to a questionnaire sent home to parents, when more than 2,200 households with children in pre-kindergarten through third grade responded that they would probably take advantage of the vaccination. At the time there was a question of who would administer the vaccinations.

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Although St. Martin Parish has a school-based health clinic licensed to provide the vaccinations, the Iberia Parish school system does not, nor do many other school systems in the area, said Iberia Parish Superintendent Dale Henderson.

Offering student vaccinations under those conditions created a situation that could endanger the licensing of school nurses should there be any adverse reaction to the vaccine.

Henderson said the solution came from the state Department of Health and Hospitals.

“The department of health will actually administer the vaccine,” Henderson said. “Our school nurses will be there to assist with the screening of students.”

The vaccinations also will be made by volunteers from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette’s nursing department.

The vaccination program initially was aimed at pre-kindergarten through sixth-graders but was expanded to include all students after consultation with the DHH’s regional director Dr. Tina Stefanski, said Barbara Hitter, head nurse for the Iberia Parish School Board.

Vaccinations will be available for all students, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at four locations in Iberia Parish: Iberia Middle School, St. Charles Street Elementary School in Jeanerette, Loreauville High School and Delcambre High School. The sites were selected to provide the necessary space and because of their centralized locations.

“We’re going to set up consent forms and all the information ahead of time,” Hitter said.

“If they have it filled out and signed, we’ll have a parent right there, then we can do everybody right then.”

The National Institutes of Health recommends an additional booster shot for children 9 years old and younger no sooner than 28 days after the initial vaccination. No information concerning the scheduling of any additional vaccinations has yet been announced by the Iberia Parish School Board.

St. Mary Parish

St. Mary Parish school officials also are requiring parents to accompany children for their voluntary vaccinations, scheduled for two dates in December. The free vaccine will be provided to all parish students at two locations on separate dates.

Those students who attend schools in the east end of the parish can receive their vaccinations at Morgan City High School on Dec. 5, while those who attend school on the west end of the parish have vaccinations scheduled for Dec. 19 at Franklin High School.

Parish school nurse supervisor Lydia Duval is coordinating the process in conjunction with state and local officials.

Elementary school students will receive nasal spray immunization, while middle and high school students will receive injections, according to information provided by the school system.

The St. Mary Parish School Board also announced it has scheduled two additional dates, Jan. 9 and Jan. 16, for the administration of the recommended additional dose for children 9 years old and younger.

St. Martin Parish

In St. Martin Parish, students will be able to receive vaccinations Dec. 12, said Jody West, St. Martin Parish School Board coordinator of health services.

“We sent out forms asking parents their opinions, and we held off on scheduling any vaccinations until we were assured there would be a vaccine available,” West said.

The voluntary vaccinations for all grades of St. Martin Parish students will be given at Breaux Bridge Junior High School and St. Martinville Primary School from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. As in other parishes, parents need to be in attendance.

Consent forms will be available and are posted online at http://saintmartinschools.org. Students will bring notes home prior to the date.

The scheduling of dates in January for an additional booster shot of vaccine for children 9 years old and under is being postponed until it is clear the vaccine is available, West said.