MONROE — A free seasonal flu vaccine will be offered this October to all middle schoolers in Union County Public Schools.

Jane Thompson, a school nurse supervisor for UCPS, said this is the first year the seasonal flu vaccine is open to students, although school staff members have the option each year.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is distributing thousands of doses to school-age children across the state, allocating 5,000 for UCPS. Because the school system has more than 38,000 students, the vaccine can’t be offered to everyone.

Children 8 and under require two doses of the seasonal flu vaccine, Thompson said, so offering it to younger children would have “cut doses in half automatically.” More than 19,000 elementary school students were enrolled in UCPS last year, compared to about 8,700 middle schoolers. There were more than 10,000 high schoolers.

Union County Health Director Phillip Tarte expects some parents to opt their children out of the seasonal vaccine, whether they have already received one or have plans for an alternative.

If the flu clinics are successful at the middle school level and the county can acquire more doses early in the flu season, Tarte said the clinics “might expand to other age groups.” In the meantime, he recommends all children get a vaccine.

The seasonal flu vaccine does not prevent H1N1, or swine flu. H1N1 vaccinations will be available to county residents — probably in a nasal spray rather than a shot, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday — but dates aren’t set in stone.

More than 200,000 people nationwide are hospitalized from seasonal flu each year, and around 36,000 people die from flu complications, the CDC reports.

The state is supplying both the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines free of charge this year for children up to 18 years old. Private providers might charge the cost of an office visit, Tarte said, but the vaccine itself is free, as long as it comes from the state.

According to the CDC, the agency “expects both 2009 H1N1 flu and seasonal flu to cause illness, hospital stays and deaths this season and is preparing for an early and possibly severe flu season.” The seasonal flu vaccine protects against what researches suggest will be the three most common viruses.

Tarte said the vaccines are “very effective.” Even if a vaccine is only 80 percent effective, he said, “that’s 80 percent more than nothing. ... It’s the only thing you have to protect against the flu.” Getting a vaccine might not prevent the virus, he added, but can make it less severe.

Those at greater risk of contracting seasonal or H1N1 viruses include children 6 months to 24 years old, caregivers of this age group, pregnant women, emergency services personnel, health care workers and people ages 24 to 64 who have chronic medical conditions.

Tarte expects the Health Department to receive the H1N1 vaccine by mid-October. Health officials hope to offer the vaccine on Oct. 17 and 24 and Nov. 7 and 14. The free vaccine will be open to the community, including students and school staff, and will be administered at several schools.

KEY FACTS

An optional flu vaccine will be offered to middle schoolers, as well as students at South Providence and Wolfe schools, at the end of October. Students must have parent permission to receive the vaccines. All middle school students will receive permission slips by next week.

Oct. 20: East Union and Cuthbertson middle schools

Oct. 21: Porter Ridge and Sun Valley middle schools

Oct. 22: Weddington and Piedmont middle schools

Oct. 23: Marvin Ridge and Parkwood middle schools

Oct. 26: Monroe Middle, South Providence and Wolfe School