With flu season around the corner, University Health Services announced Wednesday that it would not be able to vaccinate all students against the flu because of a nationwide vaccine shortage.
According to an announcement on the University website, the vaccine will be made available "only to students with serious medical conditions that render them at greater risk to severe complications of influenza."
At-risk students include those with a serious illness like cancer, those on medications that suppress the immune system and students with diabetes, Chief Medical Officer Daniel Silverman said.
Health Services will "proactively reach out to students who might fit such a profile," he added.
Silverman said the vast majority of University students are not at high risk and can avoid catching the flu by simply washing hands, coughing into a tissue or sleeve and not sharing beverages or food with others.
"We also have the alcohol-based hand wash dispensers up all over campus and we encourage people to use them liberally," Silverman said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Tuesday that the United Kingdom-based Chiron Corp. would not distribute any of its influenza vaccine because the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency — the British equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration — suspended its license.
In the wake of the suspension, only American-based Aventis Pasteur, Inc. ,will produce the vaccine.
Historically, when production cannot meet demand the government regulates distribution, Silverman said.
To economize the use of the vaccine,the CDC has already outlined a number of "priority groups" including children between the ages of 6 and 23 months, adults over the age of 65 and those with serious medical conditions, among others.
The University already received one vaccine shipment in early September and is expecting another this week.
Last year's FluFest in Frist Campus Center was conducted by Maxim Healthcare Services, Inc., a company which provides both nurses and flu vaccines on a contract basis. Maxim provided more than 1.8 million immunizations nationwide in 2003.
Silverman said that Maxim would most likely be unable to secure a sizable vaccine supply this year.
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