Longwood Holds First H1N1 Clinic; Updates Flu Report

"We are reporting to the Health Department everyday," said Patti Wagner, Registered Nurse with the Health and Wellness Center. Roughly 130 students have been sent home since the first of Oct. this year. Wagner said the center sees around 25-30 students a week.

The first shipment of the H1N1 influenza vaccine arrived at Longwood on Monday. 400 doses were delivered for the first clinic on Nov. 12. All of the vaccines were given out within an hour and a half, the majority of which went to students. Wagner said the second shipment, of 800 vaccines, arrived yesterday. The Health Center is hoping for another two shipments of the H1N1 vaccine, the first is expected next week, but will probably not be distributed until after Thanksgiving Break. Wagner said, "Everybody on campus could get an H1N1 vaccine if need be."

A clinic is available tonight from 7-9 pm in the A Room of the Student Union for students only. There will also be a clinic tomorrow from 2-5 in the B Room of the Student Union for students, faculty, and staff. All shots are free, but limited to a first come, first serve basis.

According to Wagner, generally only about a quarter of the population gets the seasonal flu shot, therefore the Health Center estimated that only about half of those would get the H1N1 shot. "The original hope was that we would have about 1500 does of seasonal flu. They have stopped manufacturing seasonal flu. We won't get anymore," said Wagner. Margo Potts, Director of Student Health, said, during the Student Government Association meeting on Tuesday, Longwood was shorted about 500 doses of the seasonal flu. High risk students and students with pre-existing conditions may receive a seasonal flu shot if possible.

Wagner said that there was a peak in flu like cases just after Fall Break. She expects two more peaks this season. The first will occur after Thanksgiving Break as people go home and mix with the general public and may become infected. The second peak will be around the beginning of the normal flu seasons, near the end of Jan. to mid Feb., according to both Wagner and the Center for Diseases Control.

Many students have been concerned about how their illness affects their class attendance. Wagner said the Dean's offices were getting a little overwhelmed with illness submissions. "What we are doing now is if you come in and you are diagnosed with flu like illness, you are given a note that says you are being sent home." She said the student gets one copy and is required to show professors when they go back to class. The student must sign a release of information form to verify to the Dean that they have been sent home. Wagner said, "Students need to notify professors they are home due to flu like illness. That's always been like that." Potts said that documentation is not an excused absence for students.

For those who still fear the H1N1 influenza vaccine, Wagner said that students should take advantage of Longwood having the vaccine on hand. People are still scared of the seasonal flu. There is fear with the H1N1 still because it is new," said Wagner. Potts said, "The vaccine is manufactured the exact same way as the regular vaccine, it is just made with a different strand." Potts went on to say that the current issue is that the Health Center is "vaccinating in the middle of an outbreak, which is not the ideal situation." Potts explained that it takes two weeks for the vaccine to build up in the system and six weeks for the vaccine to reach its full potential.

For more information regarding the H1N1 virus, including prevention and future clinics on campus, visit the Health Center's webpage.