Swine flu vaccine arrives on campus

After months of anticipation, the 2009 H1N1 vaccine has finally made its way to numerous areas around the country, including Eastern's campus.Student Health Services (SHS) has recently received its first batch of the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine. For many Eastern students, however, the vaccine is arriving too late.

Pradeep Bose, director of SHS, said between 130 and 150 students have been diagnosed with H1N1 here at Eastern. These numbers do not include students who have been diagnosed at local health care clinics, making it difficult to determine the exact numbers.

"Pandemics tend to occur in waves and we are seeing a lull at this time, but we are bracing for a resurgence of flu activity later this year and early next year," Bose said.

With the anticipation of more flu activity, and as the H1N1 virus continues to make its way through Eastern's campus community, it is important for students, staff and faculty to understand the signs and symptoms of H1N1, as well as know important ways to prevent it from continuing to spread.

"When I first started to feel sick I had a sore throat and felt really weak," said Ali Gajus, a senior biology major from Cincinnati. "I was sick and had a fever for five days and had a cough, felt weak and felt achy for another week after that."

The H1N1 virus spreads like any other form of influenza. Bose said the virus travels from one individual to another through infected droplets of respiratory tract secretions, which then contaminate mucus membranes.

Due to its ability to spread quickly, students living on campus diagnosed with

H1N1 are encouraged to stay in temporary housing or go home until they are feeling better.

The easiest way to avoid contracting the H1N1 virus, or any form of influenza, is to regularly wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Even the most careful individual, however, cannot always prevent a virus from entering his or her body. That is where the new H1N1 vaccine comes in.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are two forms of the H1N1 vaccine. One is a traditional "flu shot," while the other is a nasal spray.

The CDC describes the H1N1 flu shot as an inactivated vaccine, meaning it has a killed string of the virus in it. It works much like the traditional seasonal flu vaccine, but does not protect against seasonal flu. For full protection, people should get both the H1N1 and the seasonal flu vaccines.

The other form of the H1N1 vaccine is a nasal spray. The CDC describes this as a live, attenuated intranasal vaccine (LIAV), which is sprayed into the individual's nose, rather than given in the form of a shot. Since this form of the H1N1 vaccine contains only a weakened virus, rather than a killed one, it has significant limitations on who can get it.

According to the CDC, the LIAV H1N1 nasal spray should only be given to people between the ages of 2 and 49. Women who are pregnant, people who have long-term health problems or people with weakened immune systems should not be given the vaccine as a nasal spray.

The CDC has recommended that pregnant women, people who live with or care for children less than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people between the ages of 25 and 64 who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems, get one form of the H1N1 vaccine.

A number of students at Eastern fall into one or more of these categories, including students involved in the nursing program. Within this program, students go to hospitals in the area to work among nurses and patients to prepare them for the field. Since these students are in hospitals and around patients, they have a good chance of coming in contact with the H1N1 virus.

"We aren't required to get the vaccine, but it is strongly recommended," said Betsy Kiethley, a junior nursing major. "I went to the health department and got the nasal spray. It was free."

The H1N1 flu shot has not yet reached Eastern's campus, but SHS does have the LIAV H1N1 nasal spray.

Students who wish to receive the vaccine must go to the SHS Web site, www.healthservices.eku.edu, print and fill out a "Consent to be vaccinated" form and bring it to SHS. Vaccinations are given Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and no appointment is necessary. Due to the limited supply of the vaccine, faculty and staff are being referred to their own physicians or the health department.