Published on May 19, 2010
Flu-Free Quad Cities Will Return In Fall
Thousands of elementary school children in the region will again be offered vaccinations for seasonal influenza next fall as part of the Genesis Flu-Free Quad Cities project.
Genesis Health System, the Genesis Health Services Foundation, Clinton VNA Foundation and the Scott County Public Health Department will again create an umbrella of flu protection directly to more than 9,400 children and indirectly to thousands more who come in contact with children.
"The impact of a program like this is important not only for the direct protection of the children who receive vaccinations. The other impact is the thousands more adults who avoid the flu because children they come in contact with on a daily basis have had their flu shots,'' explained Louis Katz, M.D., medical director of the Scott County Public Health Department. "Children are an important source of flu exposure for adults.
"We have a great opportunity in the region to reduce the impact of flu by reaching out to our children.''
Unlike the 2009 flu season, vaccines for seasonal influenza and the H1N1 strain will be combined into a single dose.
Through the generous support of business partners, area professional sports teams, the riverboat foundations and individuals, nearly $275,000 was raised to pay for the Flu-Free Quad Cities program last year.
This year, parents of elementary school children will be invited to make a gift equal to the $12 cost of the vaccine for their child but all children can receive a free vaccination as long as funding remains.
The cost of a seasonal flu shot at a Genesis Convenient Care office is $52 without health insurance.
"We hope that many parents will look at the value of the Flu-Free Quad Cities program and weigh the very low cost against the cost of staying home from work for a week with a sick child. We learned last year that many parents would be willing to pay for their child's reduced-cost vaccination and would also be willing to cover another child who doesn't have the ability to pay,'' explained Missy Gowey, Executive Director, Genesis Health Services Foundation. "But regardless of ability to pay, all children will be eligible for a free vaccination if their school is participating until the balance of the generous support received last year is fully expended."
The effectiveness of the program is becoming clear. In Genesis Convenient Care offices in the winter of 2009, there was a significant decline in the number of patients seen with upper respiratory complaints.
In February, there were 285 fewer patients with upper respiratory complaints to Convenient Care offices and in March there were 450 fewer patients.
This will be the fourth year for the rapidly expanding program. Last year, 9,401 children took advantage of Flu-Free Quad Cities. The vaccinations will be offered free as long as funding is available.
A total of 81 schools participated last year. An average of 36 percent of student in each school received a vaccination.
You can help provide seasonal flu protection to thousands in the region with your gift to the Genesis Health Services Foundation. Each $12 tax-deductible gift to the Genesis Foundation covers the cost of vaccine to protect one child and others around the child from the flu. Additional costs for administering the vaccine will again be provided by Genesis.
For information on how you can help create a Flu Free Quad Cities, call the Genesis Health Services Foundation at (563) 421-6865 or go to www.genesishealth.com/give.
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