KASSON, Minn.- As of Oct. 6, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports there were 183 pediatric deaths associated with last season's flu outbreak.
To try and get ahead of this year’s virus, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center, Dodge & Olmsted County Public Health are teaming up to provide students with their annual flu shot.
This is their 10th year providing the service to students across southeast Minnesota.
Today they stopped at Kasson-Mantorville High School to give flu shots to students.
“We found that coming to schools. We’re able to vaccinate more of them based on convenience for them and their parents and just making sure they don't get to busy and just forget about it each year,” said Mayo’s RN Coordinator Kristina Hesby.
It’s a convenience for everyone medical staff at the school tell KIMT that parents don't have to schedule an appointment to see a doctor and students don't have to miss school to get a flu shot.
“We really strive to have kids out of the classroom for 15-minutes or less so really the impact on their school day is very little compared to if they had to leave for a half day to get to an appointment,” said Hesby.
They’re well on their way to complete their goal of 9,000 students.
So far today hey have vaccinated 8,500 students.
"Kids are our most active members of the community," said Hesby "Their in buildings all day together their out playing sports and their involved in activities and they come home to their family members. So when it comes to trying to prevent an outbreak of an illness there are our perfect group to try to immunize so we can keep the entire community healthy."
