Wayne County
    Public Health Service
    1519 Nye Road, Suite 200, Lyons, New York 14489
    Phone: 315-946-5749
    Fax: 315-946-5762
    Diane M. Devlin
    Director of Public Health
    October 21, 2009
    Dear Parents/Guardians:
    As you may have heard, a new influenza virus, the 2009 H1N1 (Swine) influenza virus, was first identified
    in the United States in late April, 2009. The virus has caused illness ranging from mild to severe, including
    hospitalizations and deaths in adults and children. Many children have gotten H1N1 infection and there
    have been large outbreaks in some schools across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and
    Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended that the following
    groups receive the first doses of H1N1 influenza vaccine:
    •
    Children aged 6 months through 24 years
    •
    Pregnant women
    •
    People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
    •
    Health care and emergency medical services workers, and
    •
    People ages 25 through 64 years who have certain health conditions such as HIV, diabetes,
    heart or lung disease.
    Vaccination is the best way to protect your child from this potentially serious disease. The Wayne County
    Public Health Department is working with your child’s school to give the H1N1 influenza vaccine to
    children either during school or after school. We will hold vaccination clinics beginning this fall, and
    your
    child’s school will let you know the specific dates/times once vaccine is on hand
    . There will be no cost
    to you for this vaccine. Children under 10 years of age will need two doses of vaccine spaced 3-4 weeks
    apart.
    A vaccine consent form and Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) for both the inactivated and the live
    attenuated vaccine are included with this letter. Please take the time to read the Vaccine Information
    Statements.
    If you want your child to get the vaccine,
    you must sign and date the included consent form and return
    it to the school by November 4
    . No vaccine will be administered to anyone at any of the school clinics
    unless a consent form has been completed and submitted to the school by the deadline. On the day of the
    vaccination, please have your child dressed in a way that allows easy access to the upper arm, near the
    shoulder – such as having them wear a t-shirt under their outer clothing.
    Please visit the CDC’s H1N1 influenza website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
    and also
    http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/parents
    for more information especially for parents. Your child’s health care
    provider also can answer your questions about the H1N1 influenza virus and will be able to give your child
    seasonal influenza vaccine and may be able to give your child the H1N1 vaccine.
    Sincerely,
    Diane M. Devlin
    Director of Public Health

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