“As you know by now, and for the first time, children 6 months through 59 months of age who attend a licensed child-care center or preschool are required to receive an influenza vaccine annually.

There is much evidence pointing to the need for better pediatric influenza vaccination coverage.  Young children who are infected with influenza carry a high risk of being hospitalized-in fact, hospitalization rates are highest amongst children 0-12 months of age and are comparable to rates reported among those 65 years of age and older.  Children are also the major pathway by which influenza infection is spread to other persons, especially within the same household.

The NJ Department of Health and Senior Services’ Vaccine-Preventable Disease Program has allowed for an extension to their original requirement that children had between September 1st to December 31st to obtain the influenza vaccine. Now the final date for compliance is January 31st, 2010. However, any child who is in school on February 1, 2010, who has not received an influenza vaccine is not in compliance, and he/she will need to be excluded from school until the end of the flu season, which is March 31st, 2010.  If they obtain the vaccine, they will be allowed to reenter the school.”

The above does not apply to families with legitimate religious exemptions.

For anyone who is interested in learning more about the H1N1 Influenza virus you are invited to attend a meeting given by Dave Richardson a Manalapan Township Health Officer.  Below is a copy of the invitation I was asked to pass along to you.

***AN IMPORTANT REMINDER***

SEASONAL FLU VACCINES ARE NOW MANDATORY FOR ALL STUDENTS UNDER 59 MONTHS OF AGE!

Hi all.

I just want to share with you that, at that the invitation of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District , I will be making 2 presentations to the community about H1N1 influenza.  They are scheduled for Thursday, September 24^th and Wednesday, October 7^th.  Both presentations will be at the Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School (MEMS) starting at 7:00pm.  The presentation will cover the current knowledge of the disease, the control efforts – including stay-at-home policies – and the upcoming vaccination campaign.  The presentation is open to all residents.   Please feel free to share the information with the parents of your students.

Wm. David Richardson

Health Officer

Manalapan Township

120 Route 522

Manalapan, New Jersey 07726

(732)  446-8345

fax (732) 446-1576

drichardson@twp.manalapan.nj.us