Study to Evaluate Impact of School-based Influenza Vaccination on School Populations

This prospective cohort study will evaluate rates of virologically confirmed influenza in
children attending schools with and without school-based vaccination programs. Twelve
schools (8000 students) in two school districts matched for size, race/ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, and location will serve as intervention and control schools. During
influenza season defined by local surveillance data, nasal/throat swabs will be obtained for
rapid influenza detection assays from all children with fever and respiratory symptoms
identified by teachers for evaluation in the school nurse's office. Absent children will be
offered testing at a central location within the schools' communities.Rates of confirmed
influenza illness in vaccinated and non-vaccinated children will be compared between schools
with and without vaccination programs. Rates of absenteeism also will be evaluated. The
investigators hypothesize that in addition to lowering rates of influenza in vaccinated
children, raising vaccination rates by 30-40% through school-based vaccination programs will
decrease incidence of influenza in non-vaccinated children attending those schools compared
to non-vaccinated children in schools with low vaccination rates.