The School District of Pickens County announced that H1N1 clinics won’t be held until the week of Nov. 30.

“Because we are uncertain exactly when DHEC will receive the vaccine, we cannot schedule our school clinics,” said Angela Watson, coordinator of nursing.

Watson said the school district is distributing DHEC packets, including a parental consent form and an information sheet, to all elementary students on Nov. 11. A cover letter from Superintendent Henry Hunt, contained within the consent forms, asks that parents return them by Nov. 16.

“Following the return due date, we will notify DHEC of the number of students to be vaccinated and schedule our clinics,” she said.

Once the clinic dates are set, Watson said the district plans to notify parents through ParentLink messages and school Web sites.

While the schools await the arrival of the H1N1 vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is recommending the following four ways that families can reduce their odds of getting sick with the flu at school and at home:

• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands

• Stay home for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). Keeping sick students at home means that they keep their viruses to themselves rather than sharing them with others

• Get your family vaccinated for seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu when the vaccines are available.

Anyone with questions about the Novel H1N1 flu vaccine can call their child’s primary health care provider or the DHEC Flu Hotline at 1-800-277-4687 or the nurse at the school their child attends.

greg@dailyjm.com | (864) 973-6687