H1N1 Vaccine Update 11/4/09

Greetings,

Lewis & Clark Wellness Services continue to work with Multnomah County Health Department to secure doses of H1N1 vaccine to be distributed through the Student Health Service. According to our local health officials, shipments to the state have been slow in coming. So far they have only received 6% of the order. For the vaccine doses it is receiving, the county is currently prioritizing health care workers, pregnant women and children under 5. County officials  tell us that it may be mid- to late November before the Health Service will receive any H1N1 vaccine.

Keep in mind that information on vaccine availability has been changing frequently.  As soon as we have doses of the H1N1 vaccine, we will be notifying the L&C community via email and posting the information on this and the Source.  Please check emails and this website regularly.

There may be some off-campus providers who have H1N1 vaccine. For more information on where it might be available in Multnomah County or Washington County, please visit the websites listed below, or contact your off-campus health care provider.

Multnomah County Health Department

Washington County Health Department

We encourage community members to call potential vaccination sites before going there, since suppliers may not have H1N1 vaccine, may run out of vaccine at any time, or may only be giving the vaccine to certain priority groups.

For Students

Students with medical conditions that may put them at greater risk for complications from the H1N1 virus should call the Student Health Service at 503-768-7165 or their health care provider as soon as possible. These medical conditions include asthma, pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and weakened immune systems.  For a complete list, see the CDC website. 

Once the Health Service has the H1N1 vaccine we will prioritize individuals for vaccination based on CDC and Oregon Public Health Division recommendations and on the number of doses we have available.  Students in higher risk groups described above who wish to get the vaccine should let the Health Service know in advance, in order to prioritize the vaccines accordingly. 

In some cases, there may be vaccine available in students’ home communities.  If so, and it is possible for students to travel to their home, we encourage students and parents to explore those options as well.

For more information, or questions, please contact the Health Promotion and Wellness Office at 503-768-7112, or healthed@lclark.edu.

Stay well,

Melissa Osmond, MPH, CHES

Associate Director for Health Promotion