title: Influenza vaccination of schoolchildren and influenza outbreaks in a school.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this retrospective descriptive study was to determine whether the universal influenza vaccination for schoolchildren was effective in controlling influenza outbreaks in a school. A universal vaccination program for schoolchildren was started in Japan in the 1960s, but the government abandoned the program in 1994 because of lack of evidence that the program was effective in preventing influenza in schoolchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  Influenza vaccine coverage rates, total numbers of class cancellation days, and absentee rates were reviewed in a single elementary school during the 24-year period during 1984-2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of class cancellation days and the mean absentee rate in the compulsory vaccination period (1984-1987; mean vaccine coverage rate, 96.5%) were 1.3 days and 2.5%, respectively, and they increased to 8.3 days and 3.2% during the quasi-compulsory vaccination period (1988-1994; vaccine coverage, 66.4%). In the no-vaccination period (1995-1999; vaccine coverage, 2.4%), they were 20.5 days and 4.3%, respectively, and in the voluntary vaccination period (2000-2007; vaccine coverage, 38.9-78.6%), they were 7.0-9.3 days and 3.8%-3.9%. When minor epidemics were excluded, there was a significant inverse correlation between the vaccine coverage rates and both the number of class cancellation days and absentee rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The universal influenza vaccination for schoolchildren was effective in reducing the number of class cancellation days and absenteeism in the school.
authors.affiliation: Health Center, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shioko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Seiichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nanri
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Mikako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inokuchi
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Mitsuaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokumura
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugaya
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D002648:Child; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines