A. The vaccine will be distributed through H1N1 flu vaccine clinics, just as the University distributed the seasonal flu vaccine. People will be able to make an appointment on the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Web site. The clinics will be by appointment only; unfortunately, people who walk in cannot be accommodated.

The University is following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to vaccinate health-care workers with direct patient contact and pregnant women as soon as possible, so people in these groups will be able to receive the vaccine first.

As the University receives additional shipments of the vaccine, it will be available for other students and employees, and the University will notify the University community when additional H1N1 vaccine clinics are available.

Employees who are in high-risk groups should contact their personal physicians and follow their advice. The CDC Web site, has information about people who are considered high risk.

Students, postdoctoral fellows, spouses or other people who are eligible to receive services at Campus Health Services and are pregnant or are caregivers for infants younger than 6 months old can schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine by calling Campus Health Services at 966-2281.

A. The definitions are:
UNC students rotating/precepting in health-care settings within the Health Affairs and Allied Health professional schools who have direct patient contact; and
UNC employees who are physicians, nurses or nurse's aides, or other people who work in a clinic setting and have direct patient contact including staff in the front office.

A. Because it is important for health-care and emergency medical personnel to be able to care for people who become ill, the first people at UNC to receive the H1N1 vaccine are those students and employees who are designated as health-care workers. As the University receives additional shipments of the vaccine, it will be available for all other students and employees.

A. Students or postdoctoral fellows who are pregnant or are caregivers for infants younger than 6 months old can schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine at Campus Health Services by calling 966-2281.
We recommend that employees who are in high-risk groups contact their personal physicians and follow that advice. Physician's offices and other clinics will have the vaccine at the same time as the University and are more able to address your specific health question as it relates to high risk. Employees who are pregnant, or who live with, or care for children younger than 6 months of age, and persons who have chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems are in that list of employees who should contact their personal physicians for that care.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site has information about people who are considered high risk.

A. Direct patient contact is the critical issue in determining whether you should receive vaccination. However, we recommend that all students or employees be vaccinated both for seasonal and H1N1 influenza for their health, as well as the health of others.
The exact definitions are:
UNC students rotating/precepting in health-care settings within the Health Affairs and Allied Health professional schools who have direct patient contact; and
UNC employees who are physicians, nurses or nurse's aides, or other people who work in a clinic setting and have direct patient contact including staff in the front office.

A. Only if you are in a priority group that includes pregnant women or people who are caregivers for infants younger than 6 months old. All others should use the H1N1 Student/Employee H1N1 Vaccination Program by registering at the EHS website, according to the priority group.

A. See payment information below.

A. Yes. You can make an appointment by calling 966-9119.

A. Unless a test was taken by your physician or caregiver specifically indicating that you had the H1N1 virus you should still get the H1N1 vaccination. Based on symptoms alone, there is no way to tell whether you had the H1N1 virus, thus you should be vaccinated to protect against it.

A. 2009 H1N1 vaccines were made using the same methods as seasonal influenza vaccine and all available vaccines are FDA approved. All vaccines were produced using eggs. The vaccine does NOT contain an adjuvant. Single dose syringes are thimerosal free but multidose vials contain a minute amount of thimerosal (this dose has never been demonstrated to cause harm).

A. Single dose syringes are thimerosal free but multidose vials contain a minute amount of thimerosal (this dose has never been demonstrated to cause harm).

A. The nasal spray is indicated for healthy people ages 2 to 49. It is the live attenuated virus. You can learn more about the nasal spray by clicking here.
The shot is the inactivated virus and is recommended for all others not in the 2-49. You can learn more about the shot by clicking here.

A.

1. The inactivated seasonal vaccine (shot), and the inactivated 2009 H1N1 vaccine (shot) can be administered during the same visit using different syringes and administration sites.
2. The inactivated seasonal (shot) and 2009 H1N1 live attenuated (nasal) vaccines can also be administered simultaneously.
3. Seasonal nasal vaccine and H1N1 nasal vaccine should not be given at the same time.

A. No, H1N1 is a novel flu, a new flu virus of swine origin. H1N1 and seasonal flu require separate vaccines.

The seasonal flu vaccine became available for the University community this fall, as it has in the past, and the Department of Environment, Health and Safety held flu clinics in September and October for employees. In addition, Campus Health Services held its seasonal flu clinics for students during October. People who were not able to get their seasonal flu shots can log on to flucliniclocator.org for available flu clinic locations.

A. No. The University must follow CDC guidelines for priority distribution and it will be distributed on that basis. The seasonal influenza clinics are not based on any priority of distribution.

A. No. The time to inoculate for both viruses will take away from the need to deliver the H1N1 as quickly as possible to the priority groups. There are still many openings in the seasonal flu vaccination program to get your seasonal flu shot. You can make an appointment by going here.

A. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems. There is more information about priority groups here.

A. The 1976 swine flu virus and the 2009 H1N1 virus are different enough that it is unlikely a person vaccinated in 1976 will have full protection from the 2009 H1N1. People vaccinated in 1976 should still be given the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

A. The first shipments will be to vaccination clinics organized by local health departments, healthcare provider offices, schools, and other private settings, such as pharmacies and workplaces throughout the months of October, November and December. For more information, see State/Jurisdiction Contact Information for Health Care Providers Interested in Providing H1N1 Vaccine.

A. The University is supposed to receive some vaccine in October and will receive vaccine on a weekly basis through the end of December. More specific dates cannot be provided at this time, but as soon as the vaccine is received, clinic dates will be announced via campus email to all students and employees.

A. There will be no out-of-pocket expense for students or employees who have the following insurance coverage: Blue Cross Blue Shield; Partners; Aetna; Humana Gold; SummaCare; Advantra Freedom; or Medicare Part B. However, you must bring your insurance card and a photo ID to the clinic. If you are not insured with any of these companies, you can still get a flu shot, but you will have to pay an administrative fee of $12 (cash or check). The fee is paid to an outside health-care agency for the nurses and other staff providing the vaccination service, not to the University.

A. For registration questions not covered here, please go here.

A. Based on clinical guidance provided by the CDC, all UNC health-care physicians and nurses are following a standard protocol for H1N1 treatment and specific recommendations for using antiviral medication. Here are the guidelines.

A. CDC has issued interim guidance for the use of antiviral drugs for this season. CDC also has published Questions & Answers related to the use of antiviral drugs for this season. Here are the guidelines.

A. The University recorded its first confirmed case (confirmed by specific laboratory testing) on May 29, 2009. As H1N1 has spread, specific testing is no longer recommended for people with flu-like symptoms unless they are hospitalized. The numbers of confirmed or probable cases are no longer being reported at the state or national levels. Accordingly, the University has no way to know the total number of cases of H1N1 affecting students, faculty and staff.

Public health authorities currently track the number of cases of Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) through statistics compiled from designated clinics each week. Campus Health Services long has participated in this surveillance program for North Carolina to help monitor seasonal influenza cases. ILI is defined as the presence of fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit with cough, congestion or sore throat in the absence of a known cause.

The numbers reported by Campus Health Services reflect only a snapshot of surveillance data and are a useful marker for measuring the extent of ILI in the University student community, which consists of more than 28,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students.

Every Tuesday, Campus Health Services reports summary statistics about cases of ILI seen in its clinic during the previous week. This information is posted on the H1N1 section of the Alert Carolina Web site. As of August 31, Campus Health Services saw a marked increase in the number of patients with flu-like symptoms. The number peaked in early to mid-September and has dropped significantly since then.

These numbers are reported to the State Health Department, UNC General Administration and the American College Health Association. Information about H1N1 affecting Orange County is included on the Orange County Department of Public Health Web site and information about H1N1 statewide is included on the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Web site. The American College Health Association's reports are posted here.

A. The state's health department reports that H1N1 is currently the predominant strain of flu circulating across North Carolina. As of late October, 46 states, including North Carolina, had reported widespread flu activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly all the flu viruses identified so far are H1N1 influenza A viruses. Visits to doctors for flu-like illnesses have increased across the United States during the fall and overall are higher than the typical pattern this time of year.

A. Take everyday actions to stay healthy.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.*
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures. These measures will continue to be important after a 2009 H1N1 vaccine is available because they can prevent the spread of other viruses that cause respiratory infections.