USD students will have an opportunity to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine at a free clinic in the Muenster University Center ballroom Monday.
The clinic, which will be held from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m., will provide the H1N1 vaccine at no cost to those who are eligible to receive it and the seasonal flu vaccine for $15.
Those eligible for the H1N1 vaccine at this time include pregnant women, caretakers of children younger than six months, children six months old to 18 years old, adults ages 18 to 24 and adults older than 24 with certain preexisting medical conditions.
Freshman Cassie Wiese says she will go to the vaccination clinic Monday, adding that she has gotten the seasonal flu shot in past years.
“I don’t have a strong immune system,” she said, “I have a very weak one so I get sick all the time.”
Wiese added that she cannot afford to miss any of her classes at this point in the semester and, as a resident of on-campus housing, she worries about her risk of getting sick.
Greg Santa Maria, emergency preparedness manager for USD with Sanford Health Systems, says students should take advantage of the vaccine when it is available to them.
“With the vaccine in such limited supply across the United States this is an outstanding opportunity for USD students,” he said.
Santa Maria says his office has requested 2,000 doses of the vaccine for Monday’s clinic. However, he pointed out that the actual number of doses delivered by the state may be more or less than the number requested.
In addition to the clinic at USD, South Dakota State University has also requested 2,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine and will be administering them to students in Brookings in the future, Santa Maria says.
Leftover doses will be given to other area colleges in order for them to administer the vaccine to their students.
Santa Maria says student populations on university and college campuses are some of the most vulnerable to viruses like H1N1, making access to vaccine essential.
Similar vaccination clinics have already been held at the University of Sioux Falls and Augustana College in Sioux Falls with considerable success, Santa Maria says. He hopes for similar results with the USD clinic.
Kirsten Compary, associate dean of students, says her office will be advertizing the clinic in the coming days on campus and on the U.Portal.
Students can access the U.Portal for more information about the clinic and a link to the form that must be filled out to receive the vaccine.
Santa Maria emphasized the importance of being vaccinated against H1N1, saying that the worst may not be over. The H1N1 flu pandemic is expected to infect human populations in three waves, the second of which should wind down after Thanksgiving break.
“The second wave is usually the worst but nature does what nature does,” Santa Maria said. “The third wave could come back even worse than the second. It could clearly mutate into a more dangerous form.”
He added that unless a person has had a lab-confirmed diagnosis of H1N1, he or she should be vaccinated against it.
Santa Maria addressed concerns among some people that the vaccine may not be safe, saying that these concerns are unfounded. The vaccines have been thoroughly tested and those given the vaccine are screened for potentially dangerous allergies beforehand, Santa Maria said.
He added that he and his daughter have received the vaccine and he is confident that its widespread administration will save many lives.
“I wouldn’t be out here preaching about getting a shot if I didn’t believe in it,” Santa Maria said.
Reach reporter Nick Woltman at Nick.Woltman@usd.edu.
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