Central York School District will partner with
Health Hero PA to offer a voluntary, in-school flu vaccination program for our K-6 students on October 20, 2015.
Health Hero is a voluntary flu vaccination program that offers the Flumist nasal-spray immunizations free of charge to students whose parents wish them to receive it during the school-day clinic.
Flu is among the top vaccine-preventable illnesses. Per the CDC, 25 to 50 million cases are reported each year in the United States, leading to hospitalizations and in some severe cases, death. Schools and school children have the highest rate of infection.
In the past, the District had been part of a Pennsylvania Department of Health flu vaccination pilot that provided the District with flu vaccines free of charge to offer to our students and community. The state eliminated that program during the 2014-2015 School Year, and the District has looked for alternatives to offer to our students.
This year, we are piloting the Health Hero school-day program with our K-6 buildings. Health Hero has been partnering with schools and providing free flu immunizations to students through voluntary school-day programs for several years. In addition, please note the following key information about the program:
- We will only be offering the nasal Flumist through the program.
- Vaccines are voluntary and will only be administered if the parent/guardian consent forms are on file with the school prior to the October 20th clinics.
- Parents/guardians may not attend these in-school clinics.
- Health Hero will visit each of our K-6 buildings on October 20 to administer the vaccines. A school staff member will be present at each clinic.
- The vaccines are FREE to students in Grades K-6 whose parents/guardians wish them to receive one.
- All consent forms are due back at school by October 12.
Parents and guardians of K-6 students will receive information from their child's schools early next week. This will include the following information, which is attached here electronically:
Health Hero Letter to Parents/Guardians
Consent Form - English
Flu Vaccine Information Sheet - English
Consent Form - Spanish
Flu Vaccine Information Sheet - Spanish
If you wish to learn more about Health Hero, please visit their website at:
www.healthherousa.com. If you have any questions or concerns about the District's pilot of this program, please contact us at (717) 846-6789, ext. 1210 or ext. 1292.