We are focusing on the effort going on right now to keep influenza from spreading like wildfire through classrooms and daycares in South Dakota.  On December 13th KSFY reported a boys basketball game between Langford and Ipswich had to be postponed until February because of a flu outbreak in both schools. The State and Avera Health are trying to prevent that.

This fall South Dakota became the first state in the country to offer free voluntary flu shots to all children ages 6 months to 18 years old with parental consent.  We were at one of the many Avera staffed clinics at O'Gorman Junior High in Sioux Falls. All of the workers volunteer to be there.

Deb Fischer-Clemens is the director of the Avera Center For Public Policy. She says, "I can't say enough about the folks who have agreed to help us out. It takes a lot of nurse power to set up clinics like this. And I'm so grateful they volunteer to do it. It's a lot of great people who have been there to get it accomplished."

According to the South Dakota Health Department:
* 70% percent of those who contracted influenza last year during flu season were in the same age bracket being targeted for inoculation this year: Newborns to 19 year olds.
* One child died from the flu
*and 43% of those hospitalized from flu complications were ages 10 and under.

Since children are often the biggest spreaders of influenza to adults and other children, healthcare providers are hoping kids and their parents give this flu immunization program a shot to work in preventing more deaths and more absences from school. On average when a child gets the flu they miss 5 days of school and are at higher risk of complications.

Fischer-Clemens says, "If all the kids get vaccinated you don't have it spread through schools. Last year schools in South Dakota closed because of flu outbreaks. Another easy thing in the name of prevention is to cover your mouth if you sneeze or cough. Use a kleenex or your sleeve instead of your hand and if you use your hand wash them often."

For more information visit the state health department at www.doh.sd.gov or avera health at www.avera.org