PANDEMIC INFLUENZA CENTER

Portion of H1N1 vaccine order comes in;
ASU to distribute vaccines to high-priority groups

Arizona State University has received part of its vaccine order for the H1N1 virus (also known as swine flu). ASU students, faculty and staff members who are members of high-priority groups, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may receive a vaccine at any of the four campus Health Centers (Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, Tempe and West) during regular business hours.

High-priority groups include individuals age 24 and under; those caring for children under six months of age; and those with one of the following medical conditions: pregnancy, obesity, heart disease, lung disease, asthma, kidney or liver disease, diabetes or metabolic disease, anemia or blood disorder, or other immune-compromising conditions.

Students, faculty and staff must show their ASU SunCard to receive a vaccine. There is a $10 fee for the vaccine for students. ABOR Aetna Student Health Insurance will cover the cost of the vaccination for those students. Benefit-eligible employees´ administration fee will be covered in the same manner as the seasonal flu vaccinations. People who have already had H1N1 flu that has been confirmed through testing do not need to get the vaccine.

ASU health officials will update messages when vaccine is available for the general university population.

For more information, go to ASU Student Health.

ASU guidelines on the H1N1 virus (also known as swine flu)

Flu cases at ASU have increased slightly during recent weeks and health officials are asking students, faculty and staff to stock up on basic flu medicines such as acetaminophen (example: Tylenol), ibuprofen (example: Motrin) and diarrhea medicine (example: Immodium). According to CDC guidelines for colleges and universities, students should have a two-week supply of over-the-counter medications to treat mild flu symptoms.

Students can pick up cold and flu kits for $10 from Campus Health Service locations and at residence hall convenience stores. The kit contains a thermometer, nasal decongestant, ibuprofen, cough syrup, hand sanitizer, face masks and directions for medications contained in the kit.

Although the H1N1 virus (also known as swine flu) has produced mild flu symptoms - cough, sneezing, fever and body aches - in the majority of people who have been infected, ASU is focusing on protecting its campuses from widespread infection.

"The Centers for Disease Control and the Arizona Department of Health Services ask students, faculty and staff to stay home if they are mildly sick with flu symptoms until their fever has abated for at least 24 hours, wash their hands frequently with an alcohol-based hand cleaner, cover their cough or sneeze with their sleeve and get their seasonal flu shot early," says Dr. Allan L. Markus, Director of Campus Health Services at ASU. "Our first allotment of the H1N1 flu vaccine has arrived, and our students (under age 25) are a high priority vaccination group."

While vaccinations will be administered Nov. 18 and 19 to those under 25 and in other high-priority groups, ASU is expecting to receive additional vaccine supplies in the future that will make it possible for members of the general university population to be vaccinated. Updates will be posted on My ASU, at www.asu.edu/pandemic and students.asu.edu/health. ASU Health Services recently joined forces with Allviant Corporation´s CarePass that uses text, telephone, emails and faxes to alert users of appointment times and other health information. (Information: www.carepass.com/asu).

ASU is working with county and state health departments and following CDC guidance for higher education institutions. The university has put into action a robust plan that was developed during recent years to protect the health and safety of its students in case of a widespread flu virus outbreak.

ASU´s health officials are advising ill students with moderate to severe flu symptoms such as cough, fever, sore throat, headache, runny nose, general fatigue, muscle pains, diarrhea and vomiting to go to any one of the health centers located on their four campuses to be checked. ASU students, faculty and staff who are sick should avoid contact with large groups by staying home until they have been without a fever for at least 24 hours or their primary care doctor tells them that they are no longer infectious to others. ASU´s Office of Human Resources has adopted a new policy to handle employee absences during the H1N1 flu pandemic.

There are antiviral medications available to treat the flu, but current CDC guidelines state that antiviral medications should be given for those who are experiencing more than mild illness and those at high risk of complications. Preventive treatment is not needed for individuals who have no symptoms unless they are both at high risk and they have very close prolonged contact (example: a caregiver or roommate).

ASU is advising students and faculty who are traveling to other countries to confer with their health-care provider or visit the ASU Travel Clinic to get more information on health risks and prevention before they go.

More Information may be obtained about H1N1 from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and ASU Pandemic Flu website H1N1 Flu Information.

Information about ASU’s Health Service can be found at ASU Campus Health Service and at 480.965.1102 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

For an explanation of the World Health Organization's various Epidemic and Pandemic Alert system alerts and for the current status visit World Health Organization - Alerts site.