Home Campus H1N1 Flu Updates
January 11, 2010
County Health Department Free H1N1 Vaccination Clinics
The Saint Louis County Department of Health will be offering free H1N1 flu vaccinations to county residents at two locations on Saturday, January 16th. The vaccinations are being offered free-of-charge to any county resident six months of age and over.
Vaccines will be given from 8:30-4:30 at the following locations::
Hazelwood East High School
11300 Dunn Road
Saint Louis, MO 63138
Mehlville High School
3200 Lemay Ferry Road
Saint Louis, MO 63125
Those wishing to be vaccinated will need to obtain a line ticket from one of the clinic locations prior to being admitted. A drive-through distribution area for handing out line tickets will be set up at each location. Line tickets will be available starting at 7:00 a.m. The vaccinations will be administered between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Participants are asked to wear clothing that allows easy arm access to help speed the process.
All of these clinics are free walk-in clinics – no appointment is necessary.
The county health department is also offering free vaccine every Wednesday in January at the Greensfelder Recreation Complex in Queeny Park (550 Weidman Road) from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and every weekday at two of its health centers:
North Central Community Health Center
4000 Jennings Station Road
Pine Lawn, MO 63121
Mon., Tue., Wed. and Fri. 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Thur. 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
South County Health Center
4580 South Lindbergh Boulevard
Sunset Hills, MO 63127
Mon., Tue., Thur. and Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wed. 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
For more information about the H1N1 vaccine and where to be vaccinated, please call (314) 615-5000, or visit the Health Department’s flu website at:
November 30, 2009
County Health Department Announces Second Round of Public H1N1 Vaccination Clinics
The Saint Louis County Department of Health will be offering free H1N1 flu vaccinations to county residents at five locations on Saturday, December 5th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Proof of residency (utility bill or drivers license) may be required.
The five priority groups that will be able to receive the vaccine are:
pregnant women;
youth from 6 months of age through 24 years of age;
caregivers of and those who live with infants under the age of 6 months;
adults from 25 years of age through 64 years of age with an underlying health condition that makes them more susceptible to flu complications; and
emergency medical service personnel and healthcare workers.
A ticket must be presented to receive the vaccine. A drive-through distribution area for a line ticket will be set up at each of the five locations starting at 7:00am.
The locations are:
Ferguson-Florissant School District Administration Building
1005 Waterford Drive
Florissant, MO 63033
Kirkwood High School
801 West Essex Avenue
Kirkwood, MO 63122
Parkway-Central High School
369 North Woods Mill Road
Chesterfield, MO 63017
Ritenour High School
9100 Saint Charles Rock Road
Breckenridge Hills, MO 63114
Rockwood-Summit High School
1780 Hawkins Road
Fenton, MO 63126
For more information, please visit the Health Department’s flu website at: www.SaintLouisCountyFlu.com
November 6, 2009
The information below is from the St. Louis County Department of Health regarding upcoming H1N1 vaccination clinics throughout the St. Louis area.
The Vaccine
A vaccine for the new H1N1 virus is now available, but only in limited quantities. The Saint Louis County Department of Health has started receiving regular small shipments of the vaccine and is in the process of distributing it throughout Saint Louis County.
Those 10 years of age and older will need one dose to achieve immunity. Those less than 10 years of age (6 months – 9 years old) will need two doses at least four weeks apart to achieve immunity.
The vaccine comes in two basic forms: the injectable form (shot) and the intranasal form (FluMist®). The injectable form contains dead H1N1 virus and can be administered to anyone over the age of six months, unless they are allergic to one of its components (such as eggs). The intranasal form (FluMist®) contains a weakened (attenuated) version of the live H1N1 virus and can therefore only be administered to healthy people between 2 and 49 who are not pregnant.
Missouri state law did require that children under three years of age and pregnant women only be administered flu vaccine without preservative (Thimerosal); however, that law has been temporarily waived because of the current flu pandemic. There is simply not enough preservative-free vaccine available to meet the need.
Vaccination Priority Groups
Certain segments of the population are being offered the vaccine first. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) have both indicated that the new H1N1 flu poses a higher risk for these groups, either because they are more likely to contract the new H1N1 flu, or because they are particularly susceptible to flu complications if they do get sick. These high priority groups are:
Pregnant women;
Children from 6 months of age through 4 years of age;
Caregivers of and those who live with infants under the age of 6 months;
Youth from 5 years of age through 18 years of age with an underlying health condition that makes them more susceptible to flu complications; and
Emergency medical service personnel and healthcare workers.
Please note that these five groups represent a more restricted target population than were in the original set of priority groups. The list above was refined by DHSS when it became apparent that the vaccine for the new H1N1 virus would only be available in very limited amounts. As more vaccine becomes available, these restrictions will be relaxed and the vaccine will be made available to the general public.
Vaccine Distribution
In order to reach the priority groups listed above, the health department has been working closely with OB/GYNs, pediatricians, public and private schools, daycare centers, and emergency responder agencies to set up distribution systems. Pregnant women should contact their OB/GYN and parents and guardians should contact their children’s pediatrician (please note: not all OB/GYNs and pediatricians will be participating in the distribution program). Parents and guardians of school-aged children should contact their schools to find out if they are participating in the distribution program.
For those who are not able to obtain a vaccination through their OB/GYN, pediatrician, or school, the Saint Louis County Department of Health will be sponsoring public vaccination clinics in November, December, and January. Any county resident who falls into one of the above-listed priority groups will be eligible to be vaccinated at one of these events. Five such events are listed below. Details about additional events – including dates, times, and locations – will be made public as soon as details are finalized.
Vaccine Distribution
On Saturday, November 7th, there will be free H1N1 vaccination events at five (5) area high schools for residents of Saint Louis County. To participate, you will have to be a member of one of the high priority groups mentioned above. You will also need to bring proof of residency such as a driver’s license or a utility bill.
Starting at 7:00 a.m. at each of the locations, line tickets will be handed out to Saint Louis County residents who belong to one of the above-mentioned priority groups. The line tickets will designate either a morning session or an afternoon session. Participants will need a line ticket to gain admission to the vaccination site. The five public H1N1 vaccination clinics will be held at the following sites:
Hazelwood West High School
1 Wildcat Lane
Hazelwood, MO 63042
Jennings High School
8850 Cozens Avenue
Jennings, MO 63136
(Parking for the Jennings location will be at 8960 Jennings Station Road; however, participants will first need to pick up a line ticket at the high school.)
Lafayette High School
17050 Clayton Road
Wildwood, MO 63038
Lindbergh High School
4900 South Lindbergh Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63126
Maplewood-Richmond Heights High School
(Line ticket distribution and parking for the Maplewood location will be at the parking lot of the Sunnen Products Company, located at 16 Sunnen Drive, Maplewood, MO 63143.)
October 2, 2009
We have good news to report. During the past week, we had no reported cases of people presenting flu-like symptoms at our St. Louis campus. Common sense tells us this is a result of everyone following flu prevention practices and protocols. Great job, Webster University!
We have posted a statistics box on our Pandemic and Infectious Disease web site (www.webster.edu/news/flu.shtml). Since August, 44 people in St. Louis and one person at an extended campus have reported H1N1 or flu-like symptoms. All persons who were ill are fully recovered and back on campus. We plan to update the statistics every Monday, adding cases from the previous week.
Our Webster University statistics are based on persons who report their cases to the Webster University Health Services Office.
We urge anyone who has been diagnosed with flu to contact Health Services Director Ann Brophy’s office (314-246-6922) so Ann and our university physician can send information to persons with whom you’ve had contact, such as classmates or department members.
From now on, you will be seeing the phrase “flu or flu-like symptoms.” This phrase is being used because health officials have concluded that routine testing is too expensive, time consuming and generally not needed because the H1N1 virus can usually be treated like a typical seasonal flu.
Let’s continue doing everything we can to keep Webster University students, faculty and staff as healthy as possible. We are at the beginning stage of the pandemic and health experts expect the number of cases to increase at a rapid pace. Please plan on getting both a seasonal flu and an H1N1 vaccination.
Aetna Insurance holders: For information about your preventive services benefits, please call Aetna Member Services at the toll-free number on your ID card.
Check our Web site for more information including:
· Information about dates, times and locations of seasonal flu shot clinics.
· Links to Aetna’s partner flu shot clinics
September 10, 2009
Four students at the St. Louis campus are now being treated for H1N1 flu. We urge you to go to http://www.webster.edu/news/flu.shtml, our official Webster University Pandemic and Infectious Disease web page, for additional information and links to national and international health organizations.
The seasonal flu vaccine is now available. The CDC is encouraging everyone to get the annual/seasonal flu vaccination; however, individuals should check with their physician about any current illnesses or conditions that may make them ineligible for the vaccine. It is safe to receive both the seasonal flu and H1N1vaccines during a single flu season. H1N1 vaccine should be available later this fall and when it is, we will notify the Webster University community.
As St. Louis health care providers set up annual/seasonal flu vaccination clinics, links to this information will be posted here. We encourage Webster University’s extended campuses to post vaccine provider information on their campus Web sites as well.
All students, faculty and staff members who have flu or flu-like symptoms should contact Health Services (314-968-6922) so the occurrences of flu on campus can be monitored.
Again, thank you for your cooperation.
August 20, 2009
In recent weeks, the media have reported numerous stories about the H1N1 virus and its possible resurgence this fall as schools (pre-K through college) begin their academic year.
The Webster University Pandemic and Infectious Disease Committee began closely monitoring local, national and international progression of the virus and related Center for Disease Control (CDC) directives as soon as it was confirmed that the virus could be spread from human to human. As you may know, H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on and also known as Novel H1N1) is a new Type A influenza virus. This virus was first detected in humans in the United States in April, 2009. The virus is spreading worldwide in much the same way that annual/seasonal influenza viruses spread.
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared pandemic status for Novel H1N1. A pandemic is the worldwide outbreak of a disease in humans in numbers clearly in excess of normal. An influenza pandemic can occur when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity.
The symptoms of H1N1 flu virus include:
· Fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit
· Cough
· Sore throat
· Runny or stuffy nose
· Body aches
· Headache
· Chills
· Fatigue
A few people who have been infected with this virus have reported:
· Diarrhea
· Vomiting
Although uncommon, severe illness and death have been associated with this virus. However, with swift intervention, the vast majority of people can fully recover in a matter of days.
In preparation for the arrival of our students, we have created a variety of materials to help inform the entire university community about this virus. This week you will begin to see information about universal precautions being recommended by the CDC and WHO. Free-standing hand sanitizer dispensers are being placed throughout the campus, and information about proper hand washing, cough etiquette and how to respond if you feel ill are being issued.
The CDC is encouraging all students, faculty and staff to receive the annual/seasonal flu vaccination. As local health care providers set up annual/seasonal flu vaccination clinics we will distribute this information throughout the Webster University campus.
The CDC is currently working with drug companies to develop a H1N1 Flu vaccine. They anticipate the H1N1 Flu vaccine will be available for public administration in mid to late October 2009. As soon as the CDC determines its protocol for the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine, we will post their guidelines on our web site.
Your personal physician will be a resource to determine if the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 Flu vaccine should be administered to you.
Even though Webster University is appropriately prepared for the arrival of H1N1 during the upcoming academic year, we will continue to closely monitor our medical sources for any further protocols issued for educational institutions.
Last week we learned that one of our students who had already arrived on campus tested positive for a Type A influenza. Treatment protocols established by the St. Louis County Health Department and the Webster University medical director, Dr. Gregory Baker were followed. The student was seen by a physician and received antiviral medication. Others who had been in close contact with this student were advised to contact their personal physicians due to the likelihood that they had also been exposed to the virus. Everyone followed the recommendation and began receiving appropriate medication as a prophylactic measure. As is common with most H1N1 cases, the student who was initially ill has recovered and is back on campus.
Each of us has a serious responsibility to do whatever we can to prevent the spread of the Novel H1N1 virus. Please cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your sleeve, wash your hands often with soap and warm water, use alcohol-based hand cleaners, and don’t come to work or class if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
We are also asking that all students, faculty and staff members on the Webster Groves campus who have flu-like symptoms contact Health Services (314-246-6922) so the medical staff can monitor the prevalence of flu on campus.
Those at the extended campuses should contact their campus director to report flu-like symptoms so the director can monitor the prevalence of flu at the location.
For university-related H1N1 information, we encourage you to go to: http://www.webster.edu/news/flu.shtml
For CDC data and guidelines, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU
Thank you for your cooperation.
470 East Lockwood Avenue