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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 11:31 a.m., Wednesday, January 30, 2008

60,000 Hawaii students receive free flu vaccinations

Advertiser Staff

The first-ever statewide childhood flu vaccination was recently completed, the State Department of Health said today, with more than 60,000 students in public and private schools receiving free vaccinations through the "Protect Hawai'i's Keiki: Stop Flu at School" program.

The DOH sponsored the program along with the schools, healthcare providers, pediatric associations and federal partners.

About 9,000 teachers were also vaccinated.

About 600 school-based clinics were coordinated and held at about 340 public and private schools, according to a DOH news release.

State epidemiologist Dr. Paul Effer of the DOH said the program will continue next year and it will target keiki 5 to 13 years old.