"Flu Fighters" Combat Swine Flu

The nation may not have embraced universal healthcare (yet!), but some cities are taking steps in the right direction. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday that the city will offer free swine flu vaccinations to its more than one million schoolchildren. The free vaccines are part of the city's new, multi-pronged plan to combat the next wave of swine flu cases expected this fall.

In addition to free vaccines, the program will provide outreach and education about the flu to New York residents. In addition to posting information online, the city also plans to get creative in its education outreach: A team of hundreds of volunteer "flu fighters" are scheduled to visit senior centers, places of worship, schools and other public gathering areas to get the word out about swine flu and disease prevention.

New York City joins a handful of states like Maine and Alabama who have also announced free vaccinations in schools. Vaccines are currently still being tested and are expected to roll out in mid- to late-October. So far, the government has amased about 195 million doses of the vaccine. New York expects to receive about 1.2 million doses in October. Lucky for those kiddies, vaccines in schools will be administered as nasal mists instead of painful shots.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.