Free Vaccinations at Student Health Service


Pitt students may receive H1N1 flu vaccinations (nasal-spray and injectable forms are available) at Student Health Service, Medical Arts Building, 3708 Fifth Ave., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Not sure if you should get vaccinated for the H1N1 flu? Read on.

Q. I read that H1N1 flu is already on the wane and the threat is most likely over. Why should I get the vaccine now?

A: The threat is not over. The Fall 2009 wave appears to be quieting down; however, pandemics typically occur in multiple waves, and a winter/spring wave is likely. Now is a perfect time to be vaccinated. In addition, this virus (or variants of it) will likely be the predominant flu strain for years to come, so vaccination now may help protect you for next year as well.

I already had the H1N1 flu, so I’m immune anyway. Why would I bother to get the vaccine?

Although your earlier illness may have been H1N1, it could have been some other virus that was circulating. You will be very unhappy if you get H1N1 infection later this year when you could have been protected. Even if you did already have the H1N1 virus, it is safe to get the vaccine, as it will then act like a booster shot.

I heard from my friends who had it that the H1N1 flu wasn’t so bad. Why run the risk of getting sick from the vaccine?

Symptoms of H1N1 range from mild to severe—including death—even in otherwise healthy people. Hundreds of college students have been hospitalized with H1N1 flu across the nation; Pitt has had two students so far hospitalized with very serious infections. Thousands of people have died across the United States even though the pandemic is considered “mild.”

Also, even though your infection might be mild, there is every possibility that you could pass the virus on to a loved one who is more vulnerable. Infants, pregnant women, seniors, and nearly anyone else with a serious medical condition are at higher risk of complications. When you get vaccinated, you help protect them too.

I have no underlying medical conditions, so why shouldn’t I pass on the vaccine and let those who really need it get it?

While it is true that individuals with underlying medical conditions are at a greater risk of serious complications from H1N1 flu, no one is completely safe. Pitt currently has ample supply to offer H1N1 vaccination to all registered students on the Pittsburgh campus.

We’re already in the seasonal flu season, so I’ll get a seasonal flu shot instead. I couldn’t get both H1N1 and seasonal flu now, could I?

The H1N1 vaccination is highly recommended for all students, but the H1N1 vaccine will not protect you from seasonal flu strains. You are urged to get vaccinated against H1N1, since the H1N1 flu strain is particularly common in young adults. If you desire protection from seasonal flu, receiving the H1N1 vaccine wouldn’t prevent you from also getting a seasonal flu shot.

Is the H1N1 vaccine safe — isn’t it too soon to know?

The vaccine for H1N1 flu is made in the same manner as the seasonal flu vaccine that has been in use in the United States for many years. Millions of people across the country have already been safely vaccinated for H1N1.


Got other questions about the H1N1 flu or vaccine? Call Pitt's Flu Hotline at 412-624-2222. Updates also are available on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) site.

 

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