INDIANAPOLIS -- H1N1 vaccination clinics begin Monday in several public schools in Marion County.

Elementary school students in 10 schools in Pike, Perry, Washington, Warren and Wayne townships, along with Indianapolis Public Schools, are the first to get vaccinated.

A permission slip from the Marion County Health Department was sent home to allow children to be vaccinated for free.

Health workers will be in 10 different elementary schools each day for the next two weeks to give out vaccine.

Middle and high school students will be vaccinated in early December. Shots and nasal spray will be administered at all the clinics.

While thousands of children will get the vaccine, there are many who won't because their parents don't want them to get it or because they didn't fill out and return the permission slip, which asks for basic vital information.

Andrea Raes said it was difficult to decide if her daughter, Lillia, a kindergartner at IPS School No. 91, should be vaccinated.

"We just tried to talk to pediatricians, other moms, her teacher and just decided that we felt that this was appropriate to do for her," said parent Andrea Raes.

John Althardt, of the Marion County Health Department, said Raes' decision was a wise one.

"We feel that the younger kids are more at risk," he said. "They tend to cluster closer together and don't quite have the social distancing."

Health officials hope at least half of the students in each district get vaccinated. They believe they will have enough vaccine to go around, but a disruption in the production or delivery of the vaccine could interrupt clinics.

More: IPS Vaccination Schedule