School-Located H1N1 Influenza Vaccination: Template Letter to Health Care Providers

September 13, 2009, 2:45 AM ET

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STATE/LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT LOGO
STATE/LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADDRESS

DATE

Dear Health Care Provider,

Cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza infections continued to occur in the United States and around the world over the summer, including outbreaks among children at camps. Younger persons are at increased risk of infection.  Based on these data, the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended that initial doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine be prioritized for:

• Children and young adults 6 months through 24 years of age
• Pregnant women
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
• Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, and
• People 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for complications of 2009 H1N1 infections because of certain health conditions including chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell disease), neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus); and immunosuppression, including that caused by medications or by HIV.

Vaccinating children at school can help meet the demand for convenient, timely vaccination of school-aged children while decreasing the burden on local health care providers who may be busy treating those infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus and/or seasonal influenza.

This letter is to inform you that the (STATE/LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT) is planning to hold school-located 2009 H1N1 vaccination clinics in your community this Fall.  We will be contacting parents and sending them information about the vaccine, the disease, and the vaccination clinic.  We will also be requesting that they either provide or decline consent for this vaccine.

Many parents may not be familiar with the concept of school-located vaccination clinics and may contact you for advice about the disease and the vaccine, including whether it is wise to have their child vaccinated at school.  We hope you will be able to reassure parents that having their child vaccinated against 2009 H1N1 at school is a safe alternative to vaccination at a health care provider's office. We would be more than happy to talk with you further. Please contact [PROVIDE APPROPRIATE CONTACT INFORMATION]

For additional information about the 2009 H1N1 virus or vaccine, please visit STATE/LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT website ( ), www.flu.gov, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website (www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/).   For information about school-located vaccination clinics, please go to (STATE/LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WEBSITE) or contact us at (STATE/LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT PHONE NUMBER).  Health care providers are encouraged to report clinically significant adverse events after 2009 H1N1 vaccine or any vaccine to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) (http://vaers.hhs.gov/).  A report should be submitted even if reporter is not certain that the vaccine caused the event. Reports may be filed securely online, by mail, or by fax.  Report forms are available online or can be obtained by calling 1-800-822-7967.

Thank you,

State or local public health official