Whiteside starts H1N1 vaccines

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Elliot Noble, 5, is held by dad Dave while he receives his H1N1 flu shot Friday afternoon at St. Mary School in Sterling. Whiteside County is planning to inoculate all school-age children whose parents agree. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@svnmail.com)

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STERLING – Dave Noble held his 5-year-old son, Elliot, in a dad’s gentle version of a  headlock.

A quick jab, and it was all over.

For the most part, Elliot handled it well, squirming just a little.

“All done!” Dad said, as some students cheered.

Elliot and his brother Seiler, 12, were among the 187 youngsters to get an H1N1 vaccine Friday morning at St. Mary School.

“I’m glad we finally got the vaccine; I can’t wait to take it myself,” Dave Noble said.

St. Mary and Erie schools were the first in Whiteside County to get the County Health Department’s H1N1 flu vaccines. The shots were provided free to anyone who had parental consent.

At St. Mary, 187 of its 247 students got the vacine; in Erie, it was 400 of about 700.

The health department will hold clinics in the county’s other schools over the next 2 weeks, said Beth Fiorini, health administrator.

“We felt it would be the easiest way for the health department to administer them and for the parents to come into the school and provide that service for them,” St. Mary Principal Becky Schmitt said.

“I hope we don’t get any H1N1 in the building.”

Doing vaccine clinics in the schools allows health departments to reach as many children as possible. People 6 months to 24 years are considered a high-priority group because H1N1  infects them the most.

Not all parents are signing their kids up for the free shots.

As of Friday, Rock Falls Elementary District 13 had little more than 400 of its 1,000 students signed up; in Sterling, only 840 of 3,700 have been given permission.

Rock Falls 13 is neither encouraging or discouraging its parents to allow their children to take the shot, Superintendent Jack Etnyre said.

“It’s really a parental decision.”

H1N1 flu clinic today

The Whiteside County Health Department will have a H1N1 influenza vaccine clinic for pregnant women, people ages 6 months to 24 years, and caregivers of infants younger than 6 months, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the community health clinic at 1300 W. Second St. in Rock Falls.

The H1N1 vaccine is free and no appointment is necessary.

The Whiteside County Health Department also offers seasonal flu vaccines, but are out at this time. Call 815-626-2230 for more information.

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