Southeastern offering H1N1 vaccine to faculty, staff, students
Contact: Rene Abadie
12/7/09
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University is providing the H1N1 vaccine to all its students, faculty and staff, a university official announced.
The vaccine is available on a first come, first served basis at the University Health Center on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., said Vera Williams, director of the center. There is no charge for the vaccine; however, individuals must show a valid Southeastern identification card.
“In order to facilitate the processing and administration of the vaccine, we are asking that people first read the CDC guidelines regarding the vaccine and review the vaccine consent form,” Williams said. Both documents are available on Southeastern’s Web site, www.selu.edu/influenza. Consent forms are to be completed at the health center.
The university has been providing the vaccine to the targeted priority groups established by the Centers for Disease Control and the State of Louisiana Office of Public Health. These groups include pregnant women, those with household contacts with infants younger than six months, people between the ages of six months through 24 years, people 25 through 64 years of age who have medical conditions that predispose them to more severe diseases, and health care and emergency medical personnel.
Approximately 560 vaccines were administered to individuals meeting these criteria over the last two weeks, Williams said.
The university has mounted an intensive educational campaign about the H1N1 virus and the common techniques of prevention, such as proper hand washing and shielding coughs and sneezes. Educational pamphlets, flyers and posters have been distributed throughout the campus and several e-mail notifications have been sent.
The University Health Center has seen approximately 70 cases of students with flu-like symptoms and only a handful of cases among students who reside on campus.
“Our instructions to students have been consistent: stay home or self-isolate if they have flu or flu-like symptoms and stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer demonstrate a fever without having to take fever-reducing medication,” Williams said.
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to contact the University Health Center at 985-549-2241 if they have any questions.
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