Schools offering free flu shots after girl's death

NEW JERSEY (FOX5NY.COM) - Another child in New Jersey died from apparent flu-related causes, prompting officials to urge residents to take steps to protect their families.

Nevaeh Hernandez, 6, of North Bergen, died Monday. She was the second child in New Jersey to die from the flu this season. (The first was a 4-year-old girl from central New Jersey who died in December.)

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Nevaeh's family with medical and funeral costs. (Fox5NY.com has not independently verified the authenticity of the campaign.)

The state's health and education commissioners are calling on schools to clean, disinfect, and share prevention tips to prevent the spread of influenza.

The North Bergen Board of Education has been disinfecting its schools to prevent the spread of flu for the last three weeks, the superintendent said on Facebook. Schools the town will also offer free flu shots to students who get permission slips from their parents.

"Stopping the spread of the flu remains a critical public health priority, which is why we have recently launched a significant public awareness campaign," Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the acting health commissioner, said in a statement. "While [the] effectiveness of the vaccine varies from year to year, in most people it still provides protection against the flu or severe symptoms if you do get the flu."

Find flu vaccination clinics by contacting your local health department.

Find more resources about influenza here.