Grade 7 and 8 students at Glashan Public School received their meningitis and human papillomavirus vaccines earlier this month, as Ottawa school immunization clinics started up again after being cancelled in the fall due to the H1N1 priority.
Carrie Bastas, Glashan’s vice-principal, says it is now back to “business as usual” for area schools as the flu scare abates.
Students in more than 50 Ottawa schools will be able to get their regular vaccinations after the high demand for H1N1 inoculations caused the delay of the school immunization program.
In this round of vaccinations, from Jan. 4 to Feb.17, Grade 7 students have the opportunity to receive the Menactra vaccine, which protects against four strains of meningitis.
Also, Grade 8 girls can receive the Gardasil vaccine, one of the newer and more controversial vaccines – it became part of the school immunization program in 2007.
Gardasil protects against four types of HPV, a sexually transmitted infection that can lead to cervical cancer.
The HITCH Cohort Study, a groundbreaking study from McGill University released last week, found that more than half of young adults in a new sexual relationship were infected with HPV.
“We just didn’t have enough staff in the fall for the school clinics, but we’re confident we can catch up,” says Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa Public Health’s associate medical officer of health.
Additionally, all the recent attention on the H1N1 flu vaccine could have increased awareness about the effectiveness of other vaccines, especially in the schools, says Etches.
More people were exposed to the details of the vaccination process, she says.
“I think they saw real value in them. So, in one way it was an educational opportunity about the safety of vaccines.”
If a student has already been vaccinated for H1N1, it’s still safe for them to get the school vaccines, notes Etches.
Laurel O’Connor, spokesperson for the Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness and Promotion says it’s important to remember that school-run vaccination programs are completely separate from the H1N1 inoculations and serve a different purpose.
For more information on the school immunization program call Ottawa Public Health at 613-580-6744.