The University of Colorado at Boulder聮s Wardenburg Health Center has altered plans to offer flu shots to the campus community in light of U.S. health officials' announcement Tuesday of a flu vaccine shortage.
Wardenburg will instead offer flu shots only to high-risk students on a case-by-case basis beginning Oct. 26, said Robert Cranny, director of Wardenburg Health Center. Faculty and staff members and retirees who fall into the high-risk category are being asked to get shots from their primary care physicians. National guidelines place people age 65 and older in the high-risk category.
"Normally we are happy to provide flu shots to any students and faculty or staff members who want to come to our clinic," said Cranny. "But this year, due to the severe shortage of vaccine, we have to reserve our small supply of vaccine for students who are at the highest risk of contracting the flu."
High-risk indicators defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Wardenburg will follow include people who have: lung or heart disease; asthma; chronic illnesses such as kidney or blood disorders, or diabetes; immunosuppression or those taking steroids or cancer therapies; pregnant women; health care workers involved in patient care; and children age 6 months to 23 months and parents or caregivers of children less than 6 months old.
Students who believe they are in the high-risk category should go to Wardenburg during normal immunization hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. For general information check the Wardenburg Web site at , call the Wardenburg Health Information Line at (303) 492-8741. Students who are ill should call the Telephone Advice Nurse at (303) 492-3435.
Cost of the flu shots for high-risk students will be $20 at Wardenburg.
Whether or not students get the flu vaccine, they should follow recommended prevention steps to reduce the risk of contracting the flu, Wardenburg officials say. Some of the most basic prevention methods are frequent hand washing and "respiratory etiquette," or using Kleenex and covering the mouth and nose when coughing. Other prevention tips can be found on the Web at: .
A Meningitis Immunization Clinic will still be offered as scheduled Oct. 28-29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Student Recreation Center, but the clinic will have vaccine for meningitis only. Students who live in residence halls should consider it a "must do" activity, Cranny said. Last year approximately 2,000 students were vaccinated for either flu or meningitis, or both, at Wardenburg聮s November immunization clinic.
National health officials support meningitis vaccination for college-age adults, especially those living in group settings such as campus residence halls. 聯The American College Health Association recommends that all people living in residence halls consider getting the vaccine,聰 Cranny said.
People living in close quarters appear to be more likely to contract meningococcal meningitis, often called bacterial meningitis, which can be fatal. All college students who wish to reduce their risk should receive the meningitis vaccination, Cranny said.
Cost to CU-Boulder students who are immunized at the Oct. 28-29 Meningitis Immunization Clinic is $90.
Dr. Martha Johns, medical director at Wardenburg, said studies have shown that when tested during outbreaks, "a high percentage of students are carrying the meningococcal bacteria. Lack of sleep, poor eating habits, high stress and excessive use of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs -- anything that compromises the body聮s immune system -- will make people more susceptible to illness," she said.
Since 1998 three CU-Boulder students have contracted meningitis and all have recovered. The most recent case was in February 2002. In a fourth case in 1997, a 19-year-old CU-Boulder student who lived in a campus residence hall died of the disease.
Meningococcal disease, an inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord and its accompanying bloodstream infections, is rare but potentially fatal. Symptoms of meningococcal disease include fever, severe sudden headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, rash and lethargy.
For more information on meningococcal disease check the CU-Boulder Web site at or call the Wardenburg Health Information Line at (303) 492-8741 or the Telephone Advice Nurse at (303) 492-3435.