South Florida health departments on Tuesday announced a coordinated plan of attack against the spread of swine flu, with a school near you serving as the initial battleground.

Departments, coordinating with school districts, will start making the H1N1 vaccine available free to the region's more than 600,000 public schoolchildren on Oct. 19 in an effort to target one of the most vulnerable -- and germ-sharing -- groups.

``We are in the midst of an H1N1 pandemic,'' said Dr. Paula Thaqi, director of the Broward County Health Department. ``It is very widespread and becoming more so as school has started. We know that our kids have more contacts during the day than anyone and we know that they can spread H1N1 to each other.''

Thaqi spoke Tuesday at the Broward School Board meeting, where board members approved an agreement with the department for vaccinations to all students in the school system, as long as they have permission from their parents. Every Broward public school -- and private schools that want to -- will eventually offer the vaccine, first in the form of a nasal spray called FluMist.

In Miami-Dade, the school rollout will begin in about 160 of the district's more than 300 traditional K-12 schools, according to Miami-Dade Health Department administrator Lillian Rivera. Vaccines could be available at more schools as more supplies are delivered.

``The amount of doses we're getting initially is limited,'' she said. ``The pipeline is small.''

Miami-Dade County put in its order for the vaccines on Monday, and doesn't expect to receive them until the middle of next week. Vaccinations won't start until the week of Oct. 19 because ``I need time to finish a few things organizing my people,'' Rivera said.

Just like Broward, Miami-Dade will offer the free vaccine to every student with parental approval.

Rivera said the county will also eventually offer the free vaccines at fire departments, hospitals, health clinics and other locations.

Palm Beach and Monroe counties will also start vaccinations on Oct. 19. The four health departments will have a joint news conference at 2 p.m. Oct. 16 to announce details.

AWARENESS

The Children's Trust this week launched a public awareness campaign encouraging parents to get their children seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines. The trust funds health teams in many Miami-Dade schools that will assist with the vaccinations.

``We need to get the word out to families that it's important to get vaccinated,'' said spokeswoman Emily Cardenas. ``People don't realize still that the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has put children on that list of high-risk populations that need to be vaccinated.''

According to the CDC, studies show young people are more at risk of infection than people 65 and older.

PERMISSION FORMS

Parents in Broward and Miami-Dade will receive forms to give their students permission if they want them to get the vaccine. Broward officials said Tuesday they also plan to post information on the school district website and contact parents by automated phone calls and fliers.

Nasal spray vaccines are appropriate for healthy people between ages 2 and 64; they should not be used by pregnant women or people, including children, with asthma, diabetes or other chronic health conditions, the CDC said. Nor should they be given to young children between 6 months to 2 years of age.

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