The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available later this fall. (More specific dates cannot be provided at this time as vaccine availability depends on several factors including manufacturing time and time needed to conduct clinical trials.)
Lawrence University is planning an immunization clinic to ensure members of the campus community most likely to be infected receive the vaccine. More information about the immunization clinic will be communicated on this website as details are known.
Who receives the vaccine will be determined by public health officials, based on current trends in illness, hospitalizations and deaths, how much vaccine is expected to be available, and the timing of vaccine availability. At this time, the groups recommended to receive the H1N1 influenza vaccine include:
- Pregnant women because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated
- Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age because younger infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications and cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination of those in close contact with infants less than 6 months old might help protect infants by “cocooning” them from the virus.
- Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel because infections among healthcare workers have been reported and this can be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism in this population could reduce healthcare system capacity.
- All people from 6 months through 24 years of age.
- Children from 6 months through 18 years of age should receive the vaccine because there have been many cases of novel H1N1 influenza in children and they are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread.
- Young adults 19 through 24 years of age should receive the vaccine because there have been cases of novel H1N1 influenza in healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population.
- Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.
