Few students turn out for H1N1 vaccine

Fewer than 10 students came to receive the vaccine at the last clinic.

By Rachel Allred

Published Dec. 1, 2009

Vaccines for the H1N1 virus were provided free of charge to students Monday evening at Center residence hall, but at the close of the clinic, fewer than 10 students had attended to receive the vaccine.

Columbia/Boone County Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Geni Alexander said the department ordered the vaccines from the federal government and distributed them to various locations throughout the county.

The health department sent 400 of the vaccines to the MU Student Health Center, prevention nurse Joan Pais said. After the first vaccine clinic, held Nov. 19, 140 vaccines were left. There are no future clinics scheduled.

"We had some more scheduled, but they're canceled for now," Pais said. "We're down to 140, and I think we'll run out or get pretty low."

Alexander said the health department distributed vaccines to the health center because many students fall into broad priority groups.

"We knew the student health center would help us reach a large number of the 17 to 24 year olds in the broad priority group," Alexander said. "Another broad priority group is people between the ages of 25 and 64 with chronic illness. A lot of non-traditional students might fall into that category."

Pais said it would be beneficial for students, especially those living in residence halls, to receive the vaccine.

"Hopefully it will prevent them from getting H1N1," Pais said. "If they do get H1N1, it's shown to reduce the symptoms. They won't be out from school, they won't miss class."

Junior Anna Downer received the vaccine and said other students should take the opportunity to be vaccinated.

"I hate being sick, and it's free, " Downer said. "Why not get it, especially since the flu can spread so easily and get so many people sick?"

Downer said the availability and the proximity of the clinic was beneficial for students.

"I think it's good for the university to have this resource for students," Downer said. "It's really convenient. If it was off campus I probably wouldn't have gone."

The clinic did not receive a lot of publicity partially because the health center wasn't sure how many vaccines it would receive or when. Pais said the lack of specific details available for advertising might have contributed to the low student response.

"We didn't have as much advertising as we would have liked," Pais said. "We knew they were going to do it, we just didn't know when or how much we were going to get."

Downer said she heard about the free vaccines from her roommate, who saw the clinic and more advertising would have been useful.

Pais said the Student Health Center might receive more vaccines, but the certainty of this is unclear.

H1N1 vaccines are available at the health department through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., so students who were unable to attend the free clinic still have a chance to receive the vaccine, Alexander said.