Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools nurses and the Orange County Health Department are holding an immunization contest in recognition of Adolescent Immunization Month, which was April.
For the contest, students need to receive at least one vaccine between April 1 and May 31.
For a meningococcal vaccine, students will receive two contest entries, while students will receive one entry for Tdap (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) and HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccines. To be eligible, students must take proof of the vaccine to a school nurse by 10 a.m. on June 1. A school administrator will select three winners: a fifth-grade winner of an iPod, a middle school winner of an iPod and a high school winner of a laptop.
The meningococcal vaccine is recommended for children aged 11-12 and again for
adolescents aged 16-18. Tdap is required for all students entering sixth grade unless they have received a Td (tetanus/diphtheria) vaccine in the past five years. The HPV vaccine is recommended for any student aged 9 or older. To make an appointment for a vaccination at the Health Department, call 245-2400 (Hillsborough) or 968-2022, ext. 2 (Chapel Hill).
The department will hold three immunization clinics in Hillsborough from 3 to 6 p.m. on May 10, 11 and 12 and three clinics in Chapel Hill from 3 to 6 p.m. on May 17, 18 and 19. No appointment is necessary for the clinics.
This contest is extremely irresponsible for so many reasons. Multiple vaccines in the period of one month (and most likely one day) should absolutely NOT be encouraged. Multiple vaccines given together or during a short period of time increase the risk of adverse reactions. Furthermore, if there is an adverse reaction, there will be no way to know which vaccine caused the reaction, and this will actually result in less immunization in the future, because the student will need to avoid additional doses of all the vaccines, not knowing which one caused the reaction. The decision to accept the risks of a vaccine is very serious one, that is made by the parent, not the child. Children should in no way be rewarded or punished for the decision of their parents. At the very least, please allow children to enter the contest if their parents have an exemption (medical or religious) on file with the school for the required vaccines. Really, you should allow entry if a parent presents a note that they have chosen to not give these optional vaccines at this time, for whatever reason. (Of course, you need to have a system in place to ensure medical confidentiality). Ideally, this contest should be cancelled, but if not, please do not ever hold this type of contest again.
This is the most unethical program I have ever read about. It is irresponsible on so many levels. I am shocked that the brilliant minds managing the Public School System and the Orange County Health Department are unable to see the lack of ethics here or the backlash this type of contest could have. I call this CHILD ABUSE. How much money did they receive from the pharmaceutical industry to promote this russian roulette game?! What does Apple have to say for the way in which their product is being used to lure children into a vaccination contest!
UNBELIEVEABLE!
I echo the sentiments previously expressed. It is unethical and should be unlawful to hold a school-based contest with iPods and laptops as prizes for children who receive vaccinations.
First of all, there is more than enough scientific evidence to concede that vaccinations are NOT safe and effective for everyone. (The federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has paid out over $2 billion to vaccine victims and their families to date. National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, Statistics Reports, III. Awards Paid,
http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm)
The decision of whether or not to vaccinate is extremely personal for families, and in some cases religious. Imagine parents who (for whatever reason) do not want their children immunized, but little Jack and Jill come home from school pleading for the chance to win a laptop or iPad.
Or we could just speak with the families of 89 girls who have died from the Gardasil vaccine. (Reports of Health Concerns Following HPV Vaccination, CDC,
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaccines/hpv/gardasil.html)
Second, there is a panacea of diseases our children are facing in this country, including childhood obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and malnutrition (malnutrition being defined as POOR nutrition, not lack of food). A large majority of these diseases are preventable through proper nutrition and exercise. Why not give laptops and iPods to the kids who take their vitamins, eat well, exercise consistently, and get all A’s in P.E.? These habits will serve them not only as schoolchildren but for the remainder of their adult lives. Rewarding these actions can save thousands of lives, not to mention millions of dollars in health care.
There is no reason our children should be suffering from preventable diseases that have simple, effective, 100% safe ways of being prevented. I am disturbed that a public school system is holding a vaccine competition while school halls are still crowded with soda and candy machines.
Sincerely,
Mary Baird
Certified Personal Trainer
I recently became aware of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Schools Vaccine Contest that endorsed by the school nurses and health department. As a pediatric nurse from New York, I applaud you for your efforts to promote and advocate the importance and necessity for immunizations. Please do not let efforts from anti-vaccinators and extremists deter you from your mission of encouraging vaccines and saving lives. Good luck to your contest and I hope many families take part!