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Pupils receive swine flu shots
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By Preston Knight -- pknight@nvdaily.com
STRASBURG -- Shots rang out at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Tuesday morning and all Dakota Galvin could do was laugh.
Given parental consent to receive his H1N1 influenza vaccine, Dakota, 7, took his needle without any reservations, bragging afterward that it tickled.
"He would laugh even if someone punched him in the stomach," classmate Sarah LaForce said.
The mere anticipation of getting a shot appeared to scare some of the children Tuesday, as the Lord Fairfax Health District continued its tour of Northern Shenandoah Valley schools to give the free vaccine. Most pupils, though, learned that any fear they had turned out to be a waste of mental angst, as they said the shot either did not hurt or was merely a pinch or sting.
"It's over?" said Shae Carter, 10, to her mother after getting the vaccine.
Her key to getting through the ordeal that was hardly an ordeal at all -- hold a tiny rubber duck.
"I'd much rather have had her get a shot and go through this than go through what I've seen [with sick children]," said Krishele Morris, Shae's mother.
About 550 pupils and staff signed up to be administered the vaccine, representing roughly half of the school population, Principal Stacey Leitzel said. Sandy Hook finished about an hour ahead of schedule, running more efficiently than expected. There were seven people, including two school nurses, giving shots, and groups of pupils were in and out of the gym usually within a matter of minutes, ensuring that they lost little instructional time. Parents were allowed to join their children, if they wanted to.
Pupils got a certificate and a pack of Smarties candy after receiving the vaccine.
"The best thing about getting the shot," said Nicholas Cooper, 9.
Leea Shirley, Lord Fairfax's public health nurse supervisor, said schools are given a courtesy 48-hour notice that the vaccine is coming. Since consent forms were due by Oct. 20, the number of vaccines needed for a school is known in advance.
Shirley said she has been pleased with the turnout throughout the valley, and the process is becoming more efficient as the district goes to more schools.
"Schools have been very, very helpful, very accommodating," she said. "Parents have been wonderful."
Leitzel said pupils were shown a video clip to learn about the shots and staying healthy. When she got the vaccine Tuesday, it was shown during the morning announcements to prove it wasn't "that bad."
The majority of pupils took the shots well, Leitzel said, and she was on board with the idea of offering it to them.
"If it's going to keep our kids healthy in the long run, I think it's a good thing," she said.
Attendance, in fact, is about the same now as it always is this time of year, Leitzel said. Sandy Hook did have about a two-week period of noticeable absentees earlier in the school year because of illness, she added.
Children under the age of 10 will need to get a second vaccination in three to four weeks, Shirley said. But hearing some of them talk about it Tuesday, that will be no big deal.
"I told you it wouldn't hurt," Sarah LaForce, 7, said to a friend.
Would it of been nice to show pictures of the brave childern to help show that there is nothing to fear! Not all pictures of the upset childern.
Some parents just look at the picture and call the school and cancel there childs shot with out reading the whole story.