Keeping kids safe before and after school, vax tips and more

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, October 11, 2023

The hours before and after school are the most dangerous times for students on the roads, according to a fact sheet published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration here.

A study shows that more students are killed in the 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. hours than at any other time of day.

Here are safety tips:

• Planning a safe route with your student is essential to their safe walk to and from school or the bus stop.
• Practice your route a few times with the student, which gives you a chance to do some modeling about safe behavior when crossing streets.
• Choose bright-colored clothing for your student, ideally with reflective material and a headlamp or flashlight for when it’s dark, especially as winter comes on.
• Consider creating a neighborhood group so two or more students walk together, perhaps with an older sibling.
• Many Vashon kids travel by school bus so many of these suggestions apply well to the times when they walk from home to the bus stop. At the bus stop, help your kids be safe by reminding them to stay out of the road and watch for cars. Make sure they are visible to passing cars and the bus driver.
• If you have a student riding a bicycle to school, map out and practice the route with them. Remind your student of the rules of the road and to wear their helmet, lights, and reflective gear.

COVID (and Flu) Shots

Appointments to get the new COVID vaccination are now available at Vashon Pharmacy. The vaccine has been formulated to help prevent severe COVID disease from more recent variants than the previous vaccines. You can also schedule your flu shot for the same appointment by going to the pharmacy’s immunizations page here.

The screening questions on the pharmacy signup web page include a request for information about your health insurance. That’s because the federal government no longer provides the COVID vaccine to everyone at no charge. It has been moved to the commercial market, and the vaccines are expensive. However, health insurance will cover the cost for nearly everyone who has insurance.

Visiting Nurses Offer Afternoon & Evening Vaccination Event

The Seattle Visiting Nurse Association (SVNA) comes to Vashon this week. The SVNA vaccination clinic may be a convenient option for those at work because it is scheduled for the afternoon and evening hours. COVID and flu vaccinations will be offered on Friday, Oct. 13, from 3-7 p.m., at Vashon High School.

Flu shots will be for those aged four years and older. COVID vaccines will be for those aged five years and older. You must register in advance at the SVNA website.

After registration, you will be emailed a personal confirmation code and it’s important that you bring the code with you on the day of the event. Your insurance company will be billed using the information you provide during registration. If you are not insured, you will be asked to pay.

COVID Vaccine Q&A

There’s a helpful question and answer session online at the website for Public Health — Seattle & King County. Dr. Eric Chow, Chief of Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization, explains why there’s yet another COVID vaccine and why it’s important to get it. Watch here.

Vashon COVID Risk Level

We all know someone — or perhaps several people — who have recently had COVID. Still, the COVID hospitalization rate continues below the trigger point for an increase in our risk advice tool. The new COVID vaccine aims to prevent severe disease and hospitalization.

At this risk level, wear an N95 mask indoors in public if you have been exposed to COVID, are at risk for health or other reasons, or live or spend time with someone at high risk.

Plan on getting the updated COVID and flu vaccines in the early fall, and maintain good ventilation at home and at work.

Avoid those with suspected or confirmed COVID. If exposed to COVID, wear a mask in public and avoid contact with those at high risk for 10 days.

Always home-test if you have symptoms. If you test positive, isolate for at least five days and until you test negative. Also check in right away with your doctor about treatment, even if your symptoms are initially mild.

If immunocompromised, discuss additional prevention actions with your healthcare provider.

The VashonBePrepared COVID Risk Advice Tool aggregates data in our exposure area of King, Pierce and Kitsap counties. The primary metric evaluated by the Vashon Medical Reserve Corps is the COVID hospitalization rate because that is reliably reported by public health agencies.