Loyola University has obtained vaccinations to prevent the H1N1 virus and will only be offering to students 24 or younger — for now.
Marcia “Cissy” Petty, vice president of Student Affairs and associate provost, announced in a campus wide e-mail that Loyola “received an initial shipment of 2,500 doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine and has been vaccinating students since Friday, Oct. 30. Starting Wednesday, Nov. 4, Loyola will offer vaccinations to select employees and contract staff, ages 25-64, who meet criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control.”
The e-mail also said that the vaccine would be free to everyone who is involved with the university and that those who want the vaccine will be required to show a university identification card.
Alicia Bourque, director of University Counseling and Health Services, is encouraging that students get vaccinated quickly.
“Students should consider to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” she said in an e-mail to the Maroon. “That way, they would have a better chance of remaining healthy during the upcoming travel season and too, during final exams.”
All the measures Loyola is taking come from the Center for Disease Control, including making recommendations so different organizations can take action and remain safe from this illness.
“In following with the CDC guidelines, which promote that all students 24 and younger be vaccinated, we are promoting this on the campus,” Bourque said.
While the vaccine is not yet available to the entire Loyola community, it will in the future.
“At this time, we are following CDC guidelines to prioritize these students and any student over the age of 24 years that has a chronic underlying condition,” she said. “The vaccine will be available to all Loyola employees and contracted workers later this week, but again, will be given to those individuals with chronic underlying conditions only.”
According to Bourque, the vaccine will be available to everyone once the CDC lifts the current priority status.
If a student, faculty or staff member tests positive for the H1N1 flu, they will be asked to go home until they are fever free for one day. If a student cannot go home, they will be quarantined in their dorm room until they are fever free for 24 hours without any medication.
Eduardo Gonzalez can be reached at [email protected]
