Wendy Wetzel (left), and Cindy Roth (right), in an examination room at Fronske Health Center on NAU's campus. Fronske will be the dedicated H1N1 vaccine clinic for NAU's campus. (Photo: LeeDa Miller/NAZ Today)

Young men and women at college campuses across the country are among those who are at high-risk for H1N1 influenza because of their age. Medical professionals have come to believe that “older people may possess at least some immunity to the H1N1 virus from prior exposures,” said Cindy Roth, the nurse manager at Fronske Health Center. Even though H1N1 is a new virus, there is reason to believe older people were exposed to a similar virus in 1957, making younger people a target for H1N1 said Barbara Worgess, spokesperson for the Coconino County Health Department.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, as of Oct. 31st, there have been 150 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in Coconino County since April of 2009. According to the Coconino County Health Department, 21 of those confirmed cases were people from 17 to 24 years of age.

Since Flagstaff residents are encouraged not to seek medical attention unless their symptoms are severe, the statistics are not comparable to those who are actually sick with the virus. The medical labs would be “overwhelmed if [they] tested everyone who had [influenza] symptoms,” so medical professionals are only testing those whose illness is severe enough for that person to be hospitalized, said Worgess. Because this age group is at highter risk for H1N1 than the regular flu, there are far more young people infected by the virus than what statistics are showing. “It’s a lot more than the numbers would indicate,” said Worgess.

Dorfman, a 20-year-old English major at NAU and a student worker at Fronske Health Center, never tested for the H1N1 virus when she became ill in October, but “without the tests [her doctor] was very sure that is what [she] had,” she said. Being a student worker at Fronske helped Dorfman to understand and prepare herself for the virus. Without the H1N1 vaccination, she was able to overcome the virus with “lots of sleep, eating well and lots and lots of fluids,” Dorfman said.

There are many factors that complicate the spread of the H1N1 virus among college students. “This age group tends to live together, study together, play together, eat together and party together,” said Roth. Like the common influenza virus, H1N1 is highly contagious and can be contracted by coming into contact with germs in the air produced by sneezing and coughing or by touching a surface that has been contaminated.

Being on college campuses and living in close proximity with other people poses a problem for students at NAU. “You can’t really get away from people while you’re on campus so you have to get sick,” said Dorfman.

There is no sure immunity to the virus for any age group, Worgess said. “Everybody is susceptible to it.”

According to Worgess, the only defense against H1N1 is vaccination and practicing public health and sanitary guidelines. Without an adequate amount of vaccine for everyone in Flagstaff, and the small amount that is available going to priority groups, everyone, including students, is urged to practice strict sanitary guidelines to prevent the spread of H1N1. Washing your hands frequently and covering your cough will substantially decrease the risk of spreading the virus. “Hand-sanitizer dispensers [have been placed] in buildings all over campus to help foster the hand-washing behavior that is so useful,” said Roth.

“Frequent hand washing is the single most important way to prevent spreading or getting flu from someone who is unaware that they are contagious,” said Roth.

Fronske and Residence Life worked together to develop an educational campaign about influenza and tips on prevention, treatment and when to seek medical attention. Information is posted on NAU’s campus telling students to “wash your hands, cover your cough with your elbow…stay home if you’re sick, [and] seek medical attention for severe symptoms,” said Roth. When enough vaccine is available for everyone, the Coconino County Health Department will be providing vaccine through Fronske Health Center. “We’ll make sure it gets to campus,” said Worgess. There is no set date for the vaccine to arrive in Flagstaff, but the health department is hopeful that it will be in November.

After contracting the virus, a person is symptom-free after 24 hours of not having a fever. “If you are sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home,” said Worgess. If someone does find their symptoms becoming more severe, then it is a good idea to seek medical attention. “There is no need to risk complications, if you think you are getting…sick[er,] than you should see someone,” said Dorfman.

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On the net:

CDC H1N1 Resources for Colleges and Universities

Arizona Dept. of Health Services H1N1 Statistics

People wait in line outside a Bashas' grocery store for the Mollen Immunization Clinics to open where the first swine flu vaccine doses are available Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in Phoenix. (Photo: Associated Press)

PHOENIX (AP) – Arizona has been shipped less than half the swine flu vaccine it expected so far.

Physicians, families and public-health managers are becoming increasingly frustrated by their inability to get the shots to the people who need them most.

The Arizona Department of Health Services said in September it expected 800,000 to 1 million doses of the vaccine to be sent to the state by Oct. 15.

But only 332,800 had been sent by last Wednesday.

The delay in getting the vaccine has led to disarray at public-health offices, long lines at immunization clinics and confusion and anger among those who can’t find the vaccine.

Maricopa County’s public-health director, Dr. Bob England, says he’s getting some very angry calls and e-mails about the shortage of vaccines.

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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Flagstaff Medical Center during Wednesday's snow showers. FMC has no policy requiring its employees to receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. (Photo: Jenna Galloway/NAZ Today)

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today) – By: Jenna Galloway – The swine flu has is now categorized as a pandemic.  It is a common problem in health care, and a new vaccine is becoming available to the public to help to prevent the spread of the illness.  There are two forms of vaccine, one a nasal spray and another needle-injected vaccine have been scientifically developed to help fight the virus.  However, a nationwide regulation on whether or not health care employees should be required to be vaccinated against the swine flu virus has not been made.

Flagstaff area health care workers are still able to decide whether or not they are vaccinated for both the seasonal flu and the swine flu vaccine.  Other cities are requiring their health care employees to get vaccinated.

New York state requires health care workers to get vaccinated.  According to an article published by TIME magazine on Oct. 19, Can Health-Care Workers be Forced to get Flu Shots?, health care workers in New York state are now required to receive both a seasonal flu vaccine and a swine flu vaccine, or else face termination of their job.

New York state is not the first to entertain the idea of requiring employees to get vaccinated, either with the vaccine or the seasonal flu vaccine.  The Hospital Corporation of America is requiring 120,000 employees in 20 states to get the flu vaccine.

“That’s just not something that can really be dictated,” said Starla Collins, Public Relations Officer at Flagstaff Medical Center.  “We offer both the flu vaccination and the swine flu vaccination free of charge to all of our employees here at the hospital.  The majority have opted to receive the vaccine.”

Flagstaff Walk-In Medical Care also does not require their employees to get vaccinated, either with the swine flu vaccine or the seasonal flu vaccine.

“The health department recommends health-care providers to get vaccinated for the seasonal flu and the swine flu,” said Elise Young, marketing director for Walk-In Medical Care.  “It’s not mandatory.”

According to TIME magazine, health-care workers are especially vulnerable to both getting sick from influenza and spreading it to patients.  Only about 50 percent of all health-care employees voluntarily get vaccinated for the seasonal flu.  Resistance for the new 2009 H1N1 vaccine seems to be even higher.

A lot of the resistance to the new vaccine has been generated because the vaccine is so new.

“I have some questions about the vaccine,” said Dr. George Hershey, a family practitioner and head physician for Northern Arizona University athletics.  “How are they developing it so quickly?  I don’t think it is going to hurt you, but I’m not sure it will do much good.”

Although Dr. Hershey questions the vaccine, he did say that he personally will be vaccinated for the swine flu when he can, and that he is already immunized against the seasonal flu.

Flagstaff Walk-In Medical Care employees offered mixed opinions toward the vaccine.

“[Employees] have expressed more mixed emotions,” said Young.  “The vaccine is very new and we don’t know much about it.  Some [employees] may not want to get [the 2009 H1N1 vaccine] because it’s too new.  Others want to get it because it may help prevent the swine flu from spreading.”

More and more states, hospitals, and health-care employees are debating over requiring flu vaccines for their health care employees.  For now, Flagstaff health care employees are able to decide for themselves whether or not they want to be vaccinated.

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The county health department said more than 39,700 doses of H1N1 vaccine will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Bashas’ supermarkets said Friday the H1N1 vaccines will be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at six Bashas’ locations.

Because the supply of the vaccine is limited, it will likely be made available only to high-risk groups, including pregnant women, toddlers, children with underlying health conditions and caregivers of newborns.

Those who do not fall into those priority groups are being asked by health officials to wait until more immunizations are available.

Anyone not in a high-risk group who shows up Saturday for the vaccine will likely be turned away.

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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Fronske Health Center expects to have H1N1 vaccines available as soon as this week. (Photo: Jenna Galloway / NAZ Today)

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today) By: Jenna Galloway – Northern Arizona University continues the fight against Swine Flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, in order to keep students and faculty healthy and in class. As the projected peak of the swine flu approaches, NAU sees its swine flu prevention campaign as more important than ever.

NAU’s Fronske Health Center is a front-runner in the swine flu prevention campaign, beginning work on the program as early as the summer term.

“Our health education and nursing departments have been very active in posting public health information on the new flu around campus,” said Fronske Medical Director Timothy Fleming. Dr. Fleming also stated that immunization clinics have been conducted around campus for the seasonal flu vaccine, which began to be dispersed around Sept. 1.

The seasonal flu vaccine is not to be confused with the swine flu vaccine, which was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. According to Laura Oxley, communication director for the Arizona Department of Health Services, an initial dose of 70,700 in the form of nasal sprays will be available sometime this week. Oxley said that Arizona can eventually expect four million doses, both in the form of a vaccine and nasal spray, by December.

NAU’s Fronske Health Center will be able to administer this vaccine, said Tom Bauer, assistant director in the NAU office of public affairs. Bauer also mentioned that higher-risk individuals will receive the vaccine first, an idea that Dr. Fleming explains in more detail.

“This new vaccine is publicly funded and will be distributed through the state and county health departments,” said Dr. Fleming.  “The county health department may provide a certain allocation to NAU. Since the federal government is paying for the vaccine and state and county health departments are controlling local distribution, there will be a tight priority system that determines who gets the vaccine and when.”

The priority system includes grouping people into high-priority candidates and low-priority candidates for the swine flu vaccine. The highest priority groups include infants and young children, children with chronic health infections, health care workers and pregnant women. Lower-priority groups include school-age students and adults who care for newborns or have a chronic condition, such as asthma or diabetes.

Those not in the higher priority groups are encouraged to practice preventative habits.

“I am very conscious of my hygiene,” said junior communications student Melissa Spaich. “I use the hand sanitizer every chance I get because I know that I probably won’t be able to be vaccinated until about December.”

Prevention of the illness has become one of the main focuses of NAU, investing an estimated $100,000 in education and prevention of the swine flu.

“$100,000 could be spent on the dispensers, extrapolating current usage for a full year,” said Bauer. “However, to date the university has spent $19,455 on sanitizer and marketing [for the swine flu prevention].”

Hand sanitizer dispensers are available in every building on campus, and educational posters have been placed strategically in bathrooms as well as common eating areas on campus. A web page has been created solely for swine flu education and prevention, and faculty have been encouraged to mention the threat of illness in classes.

“I did add language to my syllabus encouraging students not to come to class but to contact me if they are sick,” said W.A. Franke College of Business professor Eric Yordy.  “The provost recommended language to all faculty and asked that we be sensitive to those who are ill and help prevent the spread of the flu.”