Class of 2012

After consultation with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, we have received approval to extend the age range for students with high-risk conditions to whom we can offer H1N1 vaccine.  Please read the criteria listed below carefully to determine if you qualify.  Our stock comprises a limited supply in multi-dose vials.  This is the injectable (shot) form of the vaccine which is an inactivated virus vaccine.  It is being provided by the federal government and will be administered at no cost.  See Side Effects and Benefits below.

We continue to work closely with state and local public health officials and are doing everything we can to get H1N1 vaccine to as many segments of the Wesleyan community as quickly as possible.  There is a nationwide shortage of vaccine.  We will send updates as additional and expanded vaccination opportunities become available.  Your patience is appreciated.

To qualify for the vaccine currently available at Wesleyan you must be:

A Wesleyan student aged 17-24 years old

AND

Pregnant

OR

Diagnosed with one of the following conditions:

• Cancer
• Blood disorders (including sickle cell disease)
• Chronic lung disease [such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Kidney disorders
• Liver disorders
• Neurological disorders (such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, brain or spinal cord injuries, moderate to profound intellectual disability [mental retardation] or developmental delay)
• Neuromuscular disorders (such as muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis)
• Weakened immune systems (such as people with HIV or AIDS or who are on medications that weaken the immune system)

When will the vaccine be administered?

Two WALK-IN clinics will be held at the Davison Health Center on Thursday, November 5 from 1:00 to 5:00 and Friday, November 6 from 1:00 to 4:00.  Other clinics will be held when vaccine supply is replenished.  Questions? Please email Joyce Walter, Health Center Director at jwalter@wesleyan.edu.

Side Effects

CDC expects that any side effects following vaccination with the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine would be rare. If side effects occur, they will likely be similar to those experienced following seasonal influenza vaccine. Mild problems that may be experienced include soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given, fainting (mainly adolescents), headache, muscle aches, fever, and nausea. If these problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1-2 days. Life-threatening allergic reactions to vaccines are very rare.

Benefits

Although the efficacy of vaccination against pandemic H1N1 influenza A has not been proven, a study that modeled the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of vaccination suggested that vaccinating 40 percent of the population of a large US city (population 8.3 million) with a vaccine that is 75 percent effective in November 2009 would avert 1468 deaths, gain 49,422 quality-adjusted life-years, and save $302 million.