The library at Armstrong Elementary was transformed Wednesday into a medical clinic as the first of hundreds of South San elementary students received the H1N1 vaccine.
South San is offering the vaccine to all its elementary schools which have seen a lot of swine flu already this year.
"We had one particular grade, where the Second grade teacher started with the symptoms and within two to three days we only had four students left out of 17 in the classroom. So it was quite significant," said Aurora Valderas who is the registered nurse at Madla Elementary School. Today she was helping administer vaccinations.
The district had wanted to offer the vaccine to teachers, but only received 2700 doses. They're hoping to get more.
"When we do we will hold clinics again and get our middle and high school students and hopefully our staff, too," said South San Student Health Services Director Michelle Flores.
About one third of the students have turned in consent forms and will be vaccinated. Nurses helped to put the children at ease.
"I ask them what do you want for Christmas. Some of them say they don't want the shot," laughed Cheryl Norman, a registered nurse employed by Angel Staffing.
While there was some fear about getting the shot, there were few tears. The district will hold the clinics at each of its ten elementary schools over the next two weeks. Southside ISD is also offering the H1N1 vaccine to elementary students and Thursday Northside ISD will begin vaccinating middle school students.
Metro Health said they received a much delayed shipment of the vaccine today which will allow the vaccinations to continue.
