UHS administers 860 of 2,000 H1N1 vaccines

“We are concerned that eligible students are not taking advantage of the opportunity to be vaccinated for H1N1 flu,” UHS Executive Director John Kolligian said. “Vaccination is the best way to prevent illness from flu, particularly for those students who are at greater risk for complications from flu.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 24, UHS will offer another H1N1 clinic with vaccines available for all students under age 24. The clinic, located in Frist Campus Center multipurpose rooms A and B, will be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. or until all available vaccines have been administered. The doses will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“We continue to see students sick with flu-like illness, and UHS strongly encourages students in the eligible health priority groups, which includes all students under 24 years old, to get vaccinated at Tuesday’s clinic,” Kolligian said.

Other eligible health priority groups include faculty, staff and dependents who are pregnant, taking care of young children or at an elevated risk for flu complications due to a pre-existing medical condition. Students with pre-existing medical conditions were given the option of being vaccinated on Nov. 4 and Nov. 10.

To receive the H1N1 vaccine, a student must present his or her PUID and insurance card. Students on the University’s Aetna Student Health Plan will receive the vaccine at no cost. Students not on that health plan will be charged $15, to be paid in cash or check only, in administrative fees. Students may submit a receipt to their insurance companies if they would like to be reimbursed, and financial assistance is available for students who are unable to pay the fee.

As of Nov. 13, UHS had identified a total of 593 cases of flu-like illness, up 11.5 percent from the 532 total cases identified as of Oct. 30, Aronson said.