CMSD Schools Introduce Free Flu Shots This Year

Cleveland Metropolitan School District students return to school this week with pencils, papers, and boxes of tissues for their classrooms, but this year CMSD will offer returning students a new way to reduce illness.

For the first time, the district will be providing free voluntary flu shots to students, through an organization known as Healthy Schools. Nurses from the program will set up clinics at CMSD schools and give shots to kids who are interested and registered.

The organization has offered flu shots to an increasing number of schools in recent years, says Britni Manners, community engagement manager at Healthy Schools.

"We have just about tripled in the number of districts we’re serving this year as opposed to last year," Manners said. "I believe that’s due to the flu season we had last year, so many flu deaths, so many flu hospitalizations, so many districts having to close."

Nurses will administer the quad shot, which protects against four strains of the flu. They'll begin giving out shots in late September and early October.