Flu season arrived early this year in the form of H1N1. In an effort to stem what has been declared pandemic, yesterday the Food and Drug Administration cleared the H1N1 vaccine for nationwide distribution. Less than a week ago, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services scheduled the distribution of the flu vaccines for early October, earlier than the previous October to early November date.
This comes as good news to students like Mac Scott, sophomore in mechanical engineering
“Preparedness is good,” Scott said. “We just need to keep ourselves healthy and once it gets here we’ll be fine. It is good the government is taking precautions to combat H1N1 and the flu season in general.”
The University, however, has no information on when the vaccine will arrive or how distribution will be conducted. Medical Director of Student Health Services Dr. Mary Bengtson said,
“Specifics on campus distribution have not yet been released. There are no dates on when the vaccine will arrive or the amount which will be provided.”
Bengtson said the University would be a distribution site and the vaccine would be provided to priority groups first. These traditionally consist of pregnant women, followed by caregivers for children under six months, and then people six months to twenty-years of age – the range concerning most on campus.
More information would come only once the vaccine actually arrived, Bengston said.
Some students expressed doubt towards the availability of the vaccine to the general populus.
“There definitely won’t be enough vaccine to go around given the size of the student body,” Lily Huynh, sophomore in business administration, said. “The vaccine is not guaranteed anyway. We can only rely on ourselves to stay hygienic and make sure we don’t catch the flu.”
The FDA conducted trials for months preceding yesterday’s authorization to distribute. The vaccine has been show effective in protecting against H1N1 with no considerable side-effects. Additionally, the FDA reports that a single dose is sufficient to combat the flu, opposed to two doses from earlier trials.
Manager of Industrial Hygine for Environmental Health and Safety Ken Kretchman said the distribution procedure is not in the university’s hands.
“It is an ongoing, changing procedure dictated by the Center for Disease Control, who delegates to county administration, who then directs the university.” Kretchman said.
Kretchman said regardless of the university’s estimated needs, the county decides the amount distributed by the University,.
Nathan Combs, sophomore in mathematics, said a university shortage is not a major concern; with a city like Raleigh, there are bound to be other distribution centers.
“Student Health Services is not the only source for the vaccine,” Combs said. “It won’t be as bad as people think. The flu has just been overhyped.”
Roseanne Thomas, a junior in history echoed Combs’ sentiments.
“By now many people know someone who has had H1N1 and has seen them recover in a day or so.” Thomas said. ”The news just hypes up the situation and causes people to panic.”
