WISD, hospital district partner up for flu vaccines

Sept. 22--Weatherford Independent School District and the Parker County Hospital District are once again teaming up to fight the flu this season with a joint effort that kicked off Wednesday at the Ninth Grade Center for a 'Friends and Family Night.'

Next week PCHD will be making its way to the various school campuses.

"We'll do vaccines until they expire in June, last year we did right around 15,000 doses," said Lisa Franklin, PCHD outreach director. "One dose per-person. We go to every public school campus in Parker County."

A major letdown for many may be the use of the flu shot in needle form due to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations.

For the second year in a row, the Centers for Disease Control declared the nasal form of the flu vaccine to be ineffective, according to the CDC website.

"If the CDC's not recommending it, we're not gonna give it," Franklin said.

Demand at the Ninth Grade Center event exceeded last year's.

"Last year we did around 100, in the first hour we've already done 100," Franklin said while helping sign participants up Wednesday.

By administering vaccines in environments that will soon be tightly packed with children interacting on a daily basis, flu vaccines are beneficial for all, Franklin said.

"It keeps people out the hospital, the elderly and the young," she said. "Hopefully this keeps it from spreading."

"We have a good bunch of nurses that work with us over here," Franklin said.

As dozens of parents and children trickle into the area, it soon becomes filled with the cries of children and their apprehension of being stuck by a needle.

Having worked through thousands of these moments, Franklin is used to it.

"You get used to it," she said. "Every once in awhile you'll get one, and you're like 'Oh Lordy'.

Speaking to the children and distracting them with regular conversation helps, Franklin said.

"Try to keep them calm," she said. "Talk about school, talk about what pets they have, anything to keep them strengthened, and then usually a cool band-aid helps."

Franklin enjoys what she does.

"No regrets, it's all been good," she said. "We look forward to it every year. We just like to get out and help the community. We try to take out every reason not to get the flu shot. We try to make it something relaxed. There's no reason not to get it. We bring it right to you."

For WISD flu shot schedules go to https://tinyurl.com/ycezzecn

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