Updated Monday, October 26, 2009

To the Drexel Campus Community:

The Influenza (A) H1N1 vaccine has arrived in limited quantity at Drexel University and will be made available through scheduled vaccination clinics for those individuals noted by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be at risk of H1N1 disease. Note that H1N1 vaccination clinics are being staffed by volunteers from Drexel University and Drexel University College of Medicine in response to a request from the local health department. While vaccine was ordered for all members of the Drexel community who fit the CDC criteria, significantly less vaccine arrived. Such vaccine shortages are being experienced by institutions throughout the region. Therefore, every effort has been made to offer vaccine initially to individuals who are health care workers, including students who have any contact with patient care activities. Clinics will be held the week of October 26th at locations on the Center City campus and the Main campus. A clinic has already been held on the Queen Lane campus of the College of Medicine. The following information should guide your decision making for attending a vaccination clinic:

Vaccination is non mandatory but strongly recommended. There are many cases of H1N1 disease in the region including cases among those in the Drexel community. By getting vaccinated, you can protect yourself and others from the disease. It's a very responsible thing to do.

The vaccine is made by Sanofi Pasteur and is given as a single intramuscular (IM) injection in the shoulder. An information sheet about the vaccine is provided prior to being given the injection. Note that this vaccine was manufactured through a process similar to the seasonal flu shot. If you are allergic to eggs or have ever had Guillain Barre Syndrome, you cannot receive the H1N1 vaccine at Drexel.

The H1N1 vaccine is NOT the same as the seasonal flu shot. If your among the population recommended for the seasonal flu shot, you should still get the seasonal flu vaccine, however, the seasonal flu injection is not provided at the H1N1 Drexel flu clinics.

The H1N1 vaccine is provided free of charge.

The groups recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine are listed below. Note that the category of young adults includes a large number of Drexel students:

•  Pregnant women because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated;

•  Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age because younger infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications and cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination of those in close contact with infants younger than 6 months old might help protect infants by “cocooning” them from the virus;

•  Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel because infections among healthcare workers have been reported and this can be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism in this population could reduce healthcare system capacity;

•  All people from 6 months through 24 years of age

•  Children from 6 months through 18 years of age because cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in children who are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread, and

•  Young adults 19 through 24 years of age because many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population; and,

•  Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.