The North Bergen Health Department recently arranged to secure flu vaccinations for any resident children who remained unvaccinated, resulting in the township providing more than 1,400 free vaccinations in nine schools.

Although flu vaccinations are recommended to everyone at the beginning of the flu season in autumn, many children did not receive shots this year. After a local child died tragically of pediatric flu-related issues on Feb. 12, the township secured a special rush delivery of vaccines.

Voluntary vaccinations were given for free to local children beginning Feb. 15 and continuing through early March. An average of 20 percent of the school population in the district received the free vaccines over a span of about two weeks. In some individual schools the rates were as high as 42 percent receiving shots during that period, indicating just how low the rates of vaccination were earlier in the season.

In addition, approximately 400 adult flu vaccines were given out in October 2017 at 10 sites, as part of the township’s annual free vaccine program.

The best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated every year. For more information on the North Bergen Health Department and the programs they offer, visit www.northbergen.org or @NorthBergenHealthDepartment on Facebook.

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