H1N1 vaccine available to students, employees, families Dec. 4

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

Student Health Services will distribute the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4, at the Student Health Center to Bucknell students and employees and their spouses, partners and children 16 years or older. The vaccine is free and available as either a nasal mist or by injection, as long as limited supplies last.

Please note:

• The nasal mist method of vaccination is as effective as any method of delivery but is unsafe for individuals who have health conditions that may cause difficulty breathing, such as asthma, or muscle or nerve disorders, and is also considered unsafe for pregnant women. More information on who may safely receive the nasal spray vaccine is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-flulive.pdf.
• The injected flu vaccine is recommended for most age groups, including pregnant women, and those with long-term health problems such as asthma, or certain muscle and nerve disorders. More information is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-flu.pdf.
• If you have received a flu-mist vaccine (including for seasonal flu) in the past 28 days, you are not eligible to receive this vaccine in the mist form since having two flu-mist vaccines within that time frame is not considered safe. There is no prohibition on when individuals may receive the injected flu vaccine, regardless of whether they have received a flu-mist vaccine.

The seasonal flu and H1N1, or swine flu, are different viruses. It is possible to contract both viruses, and there are separate vaccinations to protect against each type.

Please continue to take the necessary precautions to help prevent the spread of flu. More information is available at www.bucknell.edu/swineflu.

Thank you.
 
Sincerely,

Donald Stechschulte
Director
Student Health Services