School-located influenza vaccination decreases laboratory-confirmed influenza and improves school attendance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

School-located influenza vaccination (SLV) programs can efficiently immunize large numbers of school-aged children. We evaluated the impact of SLV on laboratory-confirmed influenza and absenteeism.

Methods

Active surveillance for influenza-like illness (ILI) was conducted on 4455 children in 4 SLV intervention and 4 control elementary schools (grades K-6) matched for sociodemographic characteristics during the 2010-2011 influenza season in Los Angeles County, California. Combined nose/throat swabs were collected from febrile children with ILI at presentation to the school nurse or during absenteeism.

Results

In SLV schools, 26.9%-46.6% of enrolled students received at least 1 dose of either inactivated or live attenuated influenza vaccine compared with 0.8%

SUBMITTER: Pannaraj PS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4155443 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature