BGSU has requested a supply of the vaccine, but it is unclear when or if the University will receive any. For now, Student Health Services recommends students attend a clinic sponsored by the Wood County Health Department. For a full list of the clinics, go to: http://www.co.wood.oh.us/HealthDepartment/.

Groups Eligible For The Vaccine

The H1N1 is currently being offered only to the following groups considered to be “high-risk” for contracting H1N1:

• pregnant women,
• people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age,
• health care and emergency medical services personnel,
• persons between the ages of 6 months through 24 years of age, and
• people from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

Cautions About Nasal Spray Vaccine:

When choosing a flu vaccine clinic, be aware of the type of vaccine being offered. Certain people should not get the nasal spray flu vaccine including:

• People younger than 2 years of age;
• Pregnant women;
• People 50 years of age and older;
• People with a medical condition that places them at higher risk for complications from influenza, including those with chronic heart or lung disease, such as asthma or reactive airways disease; people with medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney failure; or people with illnesses that weaken the immune system, or who take medications that can weaken the immune system;
• Children younger than 5 years old with a history of recurrent wheezing;
• Children or adolescents receiving aspirin therapy;
• People who have had Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare disorder of the nervous system, within 6 weeks of getting a flu vaccine,
• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs or who are allergic to any of the nasal spray vaccine components.

For more information on the nasal spray vaccine, please go to the Center for Disease Control’s webpage: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/nasalspray_qa.htm