Vaccines For Influenza Prevention in Schools in Central Texas

Scott and White Healthcare provides a voluntary research study to help parents and children learn more about flu and flu prevention. You should be on the lookout for Seasonal Flu Vaccination Packets being sent home with your child or via the mail if your child goes to school in this area.

You should read the information contained in these packets carefully and then be sure to sign the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Permission Form and return it to school if you want your child to get the vaccine. Also be sure you completely fill out all information on the form or it can affect your child’s ability to get the flu vaccine.

The goal of this VIPS research study is to prevent the seasonal flu which can become an epidemic in Central Texas schools. The program attempts to achieve this by improving flu vaccination in both students and staff.

What is VIPS?

VIPS stands for Vaccines for Influenza Prevention in Schools and this is a research study which is jointly developed by Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Scot and White Clinic in Temple, Texas as well in collaboration with school districts of:

·         Academy

·         Belton

·         Bryan

·         College Station

·         Holland

·         Rogers

·         Salado

·         Temple

·         Troy

·         Waco

·         As well as the Bell County Health Department

The combined efforts of all of these organizations and school districts have a goal to improve season flu by giving vaccination to students and staff. Studies have shown that this can help reduce the number of flu infections in students, their families and the community in general.

The study hopes to find the impact of vaccinating students and teachers and to reduce the amount of children who must stay home sick with the flu and the parents who often must take time off work to stay home and care for them.