The main new feature of this vaccination campaign is the expansion of childhood flu vaccination to include all children aged six months to 11 years. Until now, childhood vaccination was only available for children up to age 7.
The aim of this decision is to “minimize” the number of children who may become ill and therefore miss school days, as well as to “look after the professionals who teach in classrooms and extend that protection to the family unit,” said José Luis Ferrando, director general of Educational Policy, Planning, Equity and Training. Families are therefore being encouraged to “take part” in the process.
Families have two options: have their children immunized through the school-based childhood vaccination program at participating schools, or take them to a health centre or an accredited private vaccination centre.
SCHOOL-BASED CHILDHOOD VACCINATION: OCTOBER 5 TO 19
Aragon’s school-based flu vaccination campaign will take place between October 5 and 19 at 159 participating schools. The schools themselves, together with the health centres serving them, will arrange one or two vaccination sessions at each school.
This approach means families do not have to travel to a health centre. Instead, Primary Care Nursing professionals will go to schools to administer the vaccines to children during the school day. Ferrando also highlighted the benefit of children receiving the vaccine in a “familiar setting” alongside their classmates.
As on previous occasions, there will be no injection. The vaccine used in this campaign for all participating children will be administered intranasally through the nose.
HOW TO REGISTER CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL-BASED VACCINATION
Parents or legal guardians must submit a request using the form available on Salud Informa by September 28. The required information includes the school in which the child is enrolled, as each child may only receive the vaccine at their own school and only if it is taking part in the campaign. Health authorities warn that if the platform displays an error, the application must be updated.
The system itself will notify families if the selected school is not participating in the school-based vaccination program. This does not mean the child will lose the opportunity to be immunized, as they will be able to receive the flu vaccine free of charge at their health centre when the campaign opens for their age group. The same alternative will be available to children whose school is participating but who cannot attend on the scheduled day, or whose families prefer not to use the school-based program.
CHILDHOOD VACCINATION AT HEALTH CENTRES: FROM OCTOBER 19
Families who wish to have their children vaccinated against flu at their health centre, cannot attend school on the selected day, or whose school is not participating in the campaign will be able to receive the vaccine from October 19. In this case, families can book an appointment for their children through Salud Informa from October 14. Requests can be made in the general vaccination section of Salud Informa.
