School children in the Temple-Belton area of Central Texas have started to receive the new H1N1 vaccine in nasal mist form, as part of the Vaccines for Influenza Prevention in Schools research project (VIPS). This is a special, second phase this year for the 10-year old study. Researchers at the Scott & White Clinic and Baylor college of Medicine hope to vaccinate as many children as possible in the seven school district area.
“This is a unique opportunity for the children in this area. We have been studying whether by protecting the children in our schools we can limit the spread of influenza in our schools, and then have a secondary benefit to the families and the community as a whole,” said Dr. Manjusha Gaglani, the local principal investigator of the study and associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Scott & White. “We are not studying the vaccines; the vaccines are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are expected to be just as effective, and just as safe as the vaccine for seasonal influenza.”
The first phase of this year’s flu study started in August, and used vaccinations for the seasonal flu vaccine, the same as in past years. This second round has been introduced this year to address the threat of the novel H1N1 influenza, a strain of the virus that is not addressed in the make up of the seasonal flu vaccine.
Dr. Gaglani says many concerns parents may have about the H1N1 vaccine, given in the nasal spray form, are not based on facts. There are no adjuvants in licensed US influenza vaccines. The FluMist® live nasal spray vaccine does not contain any mercury or thimerosal.
There is no charge for students to participate in the study. To participate in the study, students must reside in one of seven area school districts: Academy, Belton, Holland, Rogers, Salado, Temple and Troy. Private schools and home-school students within the seven districts’ boundaries are also eligible.
Research staff will be revisiting elementary, middle and high schools in the seven school districts. Parents can expect to receive study information and consent forms from the schools shortly before the vaccination team is scheduled to be at the school. The completed forms need to be returned to the school. Study vaccinations will also be available on Saturdays at the Scott & White Ambulatory Pediatric Clinic located near the corner of 25th Street and Ave. R in Temple from 9 p.m. to 3 p.m.
A schedule for the school vaccination days is available at http://stopflu.sw.org
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