H1N1 vaccine clinic opens to all students

The H1N1 vaccination will now be available to all Duke students.

In an effort to keep the number of swine flu cases low, Student Health has organized a clinic Friday to administer H1N1 vaccines to students, said Dr. Bill Purdy, executive director of student health. The swine flu clinic will be held in the Old Trinity Room of the West Union building from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Purdy said that although the number of swine flu cases has been declining, students should still get vaccinated because it is unclear what the trend will be in the future.

“We have plenty [of vaccinations] and if we run out, which we won’t because the hospital has gotten a huge amount in, the hospital said we can get more if we run low,” he said.

Unlike in the Fall when the swine flu vaccine was in limited supply and was reserved for high risk groups such as pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems and hospital staff, the vaccine will now be available to all students, Purdy said.

The supply of vaccines arrived at the end of the Fall semester, but Student Health decided it was more practical to wait until the beginning of the Spring before administering them to the students, Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek said.

The start of the flu season may make it harder to observe and predict the trend of swine flu cases this semester, Purdy said, adding that it will be difficult to differentiate between swine flu, the seasonal flu and other respiratory viruses.  

The swine flu vaccinations will also be offered for the remainder of the year at Student Health.