Penn State University Health Services (UHS) is still waiting with bated breath for doses of the H1N1 vaccine this fall.
Although the nasal-spray Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) form of the vaccine became available Wednesday -- ahead of its anticipated mid-October arrival -- that doesn't mean Penn State students will see any of the vaccine just yet.
Mike Huff, Pennsylvania's deputy health secretary, said the first batch will be targeted at 5- to 9-year-old children at the most at-risk areas of Pennsylvania, including the southeast, southwest and north central areas of the state.
In this first round of vaccination, officials estimate 100,000 to 120,000 doses will be available to the Pennsylvania public. Following Huff's recommendation, those doses will primarily go to elementary schools and pediatricians who pre-registered in September to administer the vaccine.
In reality, much of what will or will not be available to Penn State depends on the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
"We don't know yet whether we will be getting the nasal or injectable vaccine, so we are prepared to do both," Margaret Spear, director of UHS, said.
As more vaccines become available, Huff said colleges could expect to be included in the next batch of doses. He believes the vaccine will be offered to everyone by mid-January, if not sooner. Upwards of 190 million doses will ultimately be made available nationwide.
But the uncertainty surrounding when UHS will be supplied with the vaccine means UHS has had to formulate several contingency plans.
"The Bryce Jordan Center would be ideal to dispense as much vaccine over the least amount of time, but if we get a smaller amount we will do the distribution elsewhere -- maybe the HUB," Spear said. "It is very different whether we get a small amount of vaccine each day or 10,000 doses all at once."
The potential for mass immunizations means UHS has already contacted student groups to help with logistics.
"We have been contacted by UHS to help with H1N1 flu vaccines," Meghan Furey, president of the Off Campus Student Union (OCSU) said. "We are compiling volunteers to help in the upcoming weeks to be there to help manage during the vaccinations."
Furey (senior-animal science) said she was happy that the vaccination effort incorporates both on- and off-campus students. The OCSU has been active in providing facemasks and information for off-campus students.
Spear said faculty and senior students in the nursing school will be doing most of the actual vaccinations, acknowledging it would be too hard to pull all the staff from an already busy UHS to help with immunizations.
Most students should be able to receive either form of the H1N1 vaccine. The nasal spray is approved for people aged 2 to 49 years old. However, people who are pregnant, have asthma or are immunocompromised are unable to get the nasal version. Only those with egg allergies are unable to receive the injectable form, Spear said.
