Home / News / Campus News / Health Center receives 400 doses of HIN1 vaccine shots

Health Center receives 400 doses of HIN1 vaccine shots

 After receiving 400 doses of the H1N1 Influenza vaccine that was disbursed starting last week to high-risk persons, VSU Student Health Center is now proving shots to other students, faculty and staff as of Wednesday.
 According to the VSU website, the Student Health Center received a limited supply from which the vaccine was first disbursed, to those who have asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, weakened immunity, and other chronic conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.
 It was also given to people who live with or provide care for infants less than six months of age.
 No appointments are necessary for receiving the vaccine and it is free of charge to VSU students, faculty and staff.
A high-risk senior Early Childhood major, Erika Faulkner, received the H1N1 vaccine on Monday.
“When I went, members of the baseball team were in front me, so I had to wait behind them,” Faulkner said. “I think it’s fine to get the shots.  I know that people are usually afraid of getting them due to side effects, but I never have any problems.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) website, the 2009 H1N1 vaccines have undergone all the safety testing and quality checks that are usually done for other vaccines.
 In this case, they expect that the H1N1 influenza vaccine will have a safety profile that is similar to seasonal flu vaccines.  The most common side effects following flu vaccinations are mild, such as soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given.
 “I didn’t have any side effects from the regular, seasonal flu shots, so it didn’t bother me to get the H1N1 vaccine shot,” Faulkner said. “The only side effect that I had from this one was a knot on my arm.”
 According to the Georgia Department of Community Health website, as allocations are approved by the CDC, their distributor delivers the vaccine directly to public health departments, doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals across the state.
 The first small supply, 50,000 doses of the nasal spray vaccine, has been made available to public health offices and a select group of doctor’s offices across the state.
A second supply of 50,000 doses is being delivered directly to primary care doctor’s offices this week.
 Next week, officials anticipate 50,000 doses of the injectable form of the vaccine being delivered to healthcare providers.  Delivery of additional vaccine supplies is expected to continue at least weekly for the next several months.
 According to the CDC, there are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician, including people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination, children less than 6 months of age, and people who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever.
 For more information, call (229) 333-5886 or visit http://services.valdosta.edu/health/appointments.aspx

Check Also

VSU MLIS Program potentially saved with new substitute bill

Georgia Sen. Larry Walker proposed a substitute to Senate Bill 390 to protect VSU’s Master ...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *