For the past two weeks, the Department of Student Health Services has been holding clinics across campus administering vaccinations for the H1N1 virus. The vaccine is free to students with a University I.D. and to those with a Blue Cross Blue Shield membership. 

”I absolutely think the vaccine could save lives,” Jerry Barker, associate vice chancellor of student affairs, said.

The H1N1 virus was declared a pandemic this year by the World Health Organization. Although the symptoms are similar to the regular seasonal flu, the H1N1 virus differs from the seasonal flu in that it preferentially infects younger healthy people, with the majority of cases occurring in people under 25 years old, according to the WHO.

Workers at the clinic in Talley Student Center said that more than 1,000 people showed up last week for the vaccine. Chris Schaefer, a sophomore in sports management, was one of students who took advantage of the offer.


“My mom was yelling at me to do it,” Schaefer said.

“I’m going to India over winter break and it’s one of the required vaccinations,” Kent England, a junior in parks, recreation and tourism management, said. 

Still, some students, like Zach Parker, a junior in psychology, are apprehensive.

“I don’t trust the swine flu vaccine at all,” he said. According to Parker, the danger of swine flu has been blown out of proportion and he is concerned with the foreign ingredients in the vaccine.


Barker said the H1N1 vaccine could have adverse side effects in certain individuals, as with any vaccine, but that this was a trade-off for the thousands of people that would otherwise have gotten sick.

”I’m amazed that this is still an issue with students,” Barker said.

He said although approximately 35,000 people die each year from the seasonal flu, only 35 percent to 40 percent of those eligible for vaccination actually choose to get it.