Seasonal Flu Vaccination
Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population becomes infected with influenza virus. More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from seasonal influenza complications and about 36,000 people die from influenza. Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza and its severe complications. Anyone who wants to reduce their risk for getting influenza should be vaccinated during each influenza season. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for the following groups:
- Persons at high risk for influenza-related complications and severe disease, including:
- children aged 6-59 months
- pregnant women
- persons aged >50 years and
- persons of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
- Persons who live with or care for persons at high risk, including:
- household members in frequent contact with persons at high risk and who can transmit influenza to those persons at high risk, and
- health-care workers
Although vaccination programs focus on providing vaccination before or early in the influenza season, influenza vaccination should continue throughout the fall and winter months since influenza activity can circulate anytime from November through April. In addition, many people recommended to receive influenza vaccination have not been vaccinated by November.
The University offers vaccinations for the seasonal flu to employees through the OHS. The University will make the seasonal flu vaccine as fully available to the University community as possible, subject to the guidelines of oversight agencies and the availability of commercial vaccines. Priority for access to the vaccine will be in accordance with guidance from city, state and federal health agencies, including the NYC Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. Annual vaccination is voluntary but strongly encouraged.
Pandemic Flu (H1N1) Vaccination
A vaccine to protect against 2009 H1N1 is currently in production and is anticipated to be available in the fall of 2009. The University will endeavor to obtain and distribute the H1N1 vaccine if it is available to us. Vaccine availability will initially target:
- Pregnant women
- People who live with/care for children younger than 6 months of age
- People of age 6 months to 24 years
- People of age 24 years to 64 years with underlying medical conditions that put them at risk of complications from influenza
- Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
