In-School Flu Vaccinations

Dear Parents/Guardians of Peabody Students:

This year, the influenza virus is expected to be circulating in Massachusetts throughout the fall and winter and into the
spring of next year. Influenza can cause serious illness and can result in missed days of school as well as missed days of
work for parents. Vaccination is the best way to protect your child from this potentially serious disease. In order to ensure
that every school-aged child in Peabody has the opportunity to receive the flu vaccine and to make it convenient for
parents, we will be hosting school-based influenza vaccination clinics again this fall. The vaccination will be offered free
of charge and regardless of insurance status to any student with parental consent during school hours.

At the link below you will find one consent form and two Vaccine Information Statements:

• To accept vaccination for your child, please fill out the front and back of the consent form with your child’s
information. If you do not have insurance, your child can still get vaccinated – just leave the insurance area blank.
You must then sign and date the form to accept vaccination for your child and return it to the School Nurse by
Friday, September 21, 2018.
• If you consent to vaccination, the vaccine will be given to your child in school. Most vaccinations will be given
in late September or early October and your child will be sent home with a Vaccine Information Sheet on
the day they are vaccinated. Specific dates for each school will be posted on each school’s website. If your
student is absent on that day, your child will not be vaccinated at school. Please follow up with your child’s
pediatrician.
• If you do not return the required forms, the vaccination will not be given to your child.

Click here to access the consent forms and information sheets

**The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued preliminary guidance for the 2018-19 season recommending
that inactivated influenza vaccines (the injectable form of the vaccine) should be the primary choice for all children, but
LAIV (the intra-nasal form of the vaccine) when available, can be offered to children who would not otherwise receive an
influenza vaccine. Following this AAP guidance, the City of Peabody will primarily use the injectable form of the vaccine
in schools, unless a parent or child would prefer the intra-nasal form of the vaccine and the child does not have any
contraindications.**

Massachusetts has an electronic database called the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS) for all
immunization records, and your child’s flu vaccination will be entered into this database. There is more information about
the MIIS on the back of this letter.

If you have any questions about the MIIS, flu vaccine or the vaccination clinics, please do not hesitate to contact the
Peabody Health Department at 978-538-5926.

We would like to remind you and your child to continue to wash hands, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home from
school if sick. Please visit www.mass.gov/dph/flu for more information on important prevention measures that you can
take to help keep your family healthy.

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