State begins to administer H1N1 flu mist vaccine to students

Nurse Jackie Holland asked the Jennie Smith Elementary School student to tilt her head back slightly to spray a light mist into the girl's nose.

"It feels funny, doesn't it?" Holland said. “That’s it. We’re done,” she added, with a smile.

Holland, a nurse with the Delaware Division of Public Health, was among state staff on hand to administer the H1N1 flu nasal spray as part of the statewide school vaccination program that began Monday, Nov. 2.

DPH and the Department of Education are working in concert to administer vaccine to elementary public school students in grades kindergarten through five with parental permission.

Nasal mist vaccine is licensed for use among healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49. This live-virus vaccine is not for pregnant women, persons with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic diseases.

People (6 months old and up) who are ineligible for the mist vaccine can receive the injection form, which contains killed virus rather than live, Muir said.

The state chose the nasal vaccine for young children to avoid giving them a shot without a parent present, said County Health Administrator Anita Muir, of DPH Northern Health Services.

“It’s very low stress,” she said.

In terms of protection, there is no difference between the mist and the shot,  Muir said. 

The state is working with a contractor  to administer the injection for grades six through 12 in public, private and parochial schools in future weeks, since that age group can handle the stress of a shot, she said.

For information about both H1N1 and seasonal vaccines, please visit flu.delaware.gov.