H1N1 Update

Monday, September 14, 2009

To the Campus Community:

Today we learned that we have 10 students who have tested positive for the Novel H1N1 Virus. All of the students who had positive influenza tests last week left campus for home or were isolated on campus. Many of the students who went home ill last week are better and are back on campus.

Below is an excerpt from the Wall Street Journal that I believe, based on what we are seeing here at Westminster, is very accurate and to the point.

This season is going to be crazier than ever," said William Schaffner, an infectious-disease expert at Vanderbilt University. Even though the new H1N1 flu is likely to infect large numbers of people, it causes relatively mild disease in the vast majority, It hasn't undergone changes that would make it more deadly, and a vaccine in development should offer good protection. "If we have to have influenza, I would clearly choose novel H1N1," Dr. Schaffner said.

Here at the Health Center, Jameson Health Systems will be offering the seasonal flu shot on Thursday, November 5, 2009. The cost of the flu shot is $27.00. We are also planning to offer the H1N1 vaccine in late November.

Judith Duda, RN-C
Director, Student Health Center

Visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
for additional information, including a helpful Q&A segment, on the H1N1 virus.