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School-Located Influenza Vaccination Toolkit

The flu is a contagious illness caused by the influenza virus. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year. For children, the flu is more dangerous than the common cold and can lead to serious health complications as well as school absenteeism, which can result in reduced learning outcomes for those children affected. Annual influenza immunization is recommended for all individuals six months of age and older.

Multiple approaches, including school-located influenza vaccination (SLIV) programs, are necessary to ensure adequate influenza vaccination coverage among this expanded population.

Local health departments lead the efforts for organizing and implementing
SLIV programs. NACCHO supports these efforts and has compiled the following toolkit to provide background information on school-located influenza vaccination and assist LHDs. Visit NACCHO's Influenza webpage for more information about flu.

Due to COVID-19, community mitigation practices and social distancing are recommended. For more information regarding influenza vaccination in the time of COVID, please click the CDC button above.

    Overview

    SLIV programs can immunize large numbers of children, as well as teachers and school staff, in a short time period. SLIV programs can vaccinate with either the live or inactivated influenza vaccine (4). Private medical sectors as well as public health clinics have limited capacity and often are unable to vaccinate the expanded population to the degree that SLIV programs are. Some advantages of school-located vaccination are:

    • Increased number of vaccinated children;
    • Improved efficiency and cost-saving from a public health perspective;
    • Increased access to students who are from minority groups, are economically disadvantaged, and/or are from families whose primary language is not English;
    • Reduced absenteeism, for both vaccinated and unvaccinated students, and;
    • Reduced absenteeism for staff and teachers.

    The School-Located Influenza Vaccination Toolkit is a comprehensive collection of information, best practices, and lessons learned from health departments, as well as federal and national partners, working with schools to conduct school-located influenza vaccination (SLIV) clinics.

    The resources included in this toolkit are organized in chapters by topic area: Planning, Relationships & Communications, Educational Materials, Implementation, and Evaluation. These chapters can be used as a part of the toolkit as a whole, or independently as needed. Most of the items listed in the individual chapters contain linked resources and other information to be considered during each of the stages of school-located influenza vaccination clinic planning, implementation, and evaluation.

    LHDs can use this dynamic repository to build their own school-located influenza vaccination programs, connect with colleagues, and share what works and what does not. The toolkit does not have all the answers, and as more programs are conducted, we anticipate that it will continue to expand.

    This SLIV toolkit is a "living" document that includes background literature, reference documents, and general immunization programs that are easily adapted to school-located influenza vaccination programs. Also included are checklists, work plans, consent forms, letters to parents, and assessment/evaluation tools. However, additional resources can be added at any time. If you have resources that would benefit the SLIV toolkit, please e-mail [email protected].

    The Toolkit

    This section includes tools, information, and checklists necessary to plan a school-located influenza vaccination clinic including best practices, how to staff, how to fund, and how to supply.

    Logistics—checklists and general information for successfully planning school-located vaccination clinics

    Timeline—examples of timelines and checklists for planning SLIV clinics

    Funding and Budgeting—sample budgets and general funding information for SLIV clinics

    Staffing—how to staff the clinic including utilizing volunteers

    Interpretation Services—resources to support communication with diverse language populations

    Training—useful information for administering vaccines

    Supplies— how to select, store, and handle vaccines

    Incident Management and Command—Overview of Incident Management System (IMS)/Incident Command System (ICS) and outlines of the various positions within the system.

    Options for Follow-up Clinics and Second Doses

    Information, letters, and other communications necessary to build important relationships with those connected to school-located immunization clinics, including school staff, parents, and other potential partners.

    Partner Overview

    Influenza Partner Organizations

    Tools for Teachers, Principals, and Students

    Tools to Involve and Notify Parents and Parent Groups

    Tools to Involve Providers

    Tools to Involve Community Organizations

    Flyers

    Factsheets, FAQs, and information statements that may be used to educate parents, school groups, students, or other partners.

    Information necessary for the day of implementation of school-located influenza immunizations

    Information needed for steps to take after the completion of school-located influenza immunizations

    Additional Resources
    Contact Us

    Community Health Program

    Amy Maxson

    Senior Program Analyst

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    Community Health Program

    Amiris Roberson

    Programs Analyst

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