September 30, 2009

California State University, Fresno has not received any H1N1 vaccine doses yet for students, faculty and staff, but officials hope they will arrive sometime in the next month.

Joyce Harris, assistant vice president of University Health and Psychological Services, said she is uncertain just when the H1N1 vaccine will arrive or how much Fresno State will receive. Although the CDC does not expect that there will be a shortage of the vaccine, availability and demand can be unpredictable.

“We have ordered 5,000 doses but that does not mean we will receive all of that at once,” said Harris. “When it does arrive we will use the CDC’s recommendations that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine first.

“These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people of ages 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems. We will interview each student on a first come-first served basis as to whether they meet the priority criteria and then they will receive the vaccine,” said Harris.

The details about H1N1 vaccination clinics will be sent to student e-mail addresses and also posted on Fresno State's "Flu Central" Web site when new information is available.

In the meantime, Harris has requested additional doses of the seasonal flu vaccine for students. Last week, 225 seasonal flu shots were given to Fresno State students in about two hours and others had to be turned away.