This week, vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur announced a voluntary, non-safety-related recall of four lots of pediatric H1N1 flu vaccine after it was discovered that the vaccine no longer met potency specifications. None of the doses administered at Penn State are involved in the recall. Children already vaccinated from these lots do not need to be revaccinated, because the small decrease in antigen content is unlikely to result in a significant reduction in immune response. For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control's Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/syringes_qa.htm online.
University Health Services (UHS) at University Park saw a decline in influenza-like illness (ILI) during the week ending Dec. 5. This decline is consistent with current illness patterns throughout the United States. Public health officials predict that another wave of H1N1 influenza is likely later this winter or spring. Getting vaccinated now will prevent illness from H1N1 should the virus cause further outbreaks. (more)
With two epidemics of novel H1N1 flu in 2009, hand washing has been in the news often, but there are many other reasons for keeping our hands clean besides colds and flu. Flu viruses are more likely to reach us through the air after someone with the flu coughs or sneezes, but viruses that cause the common cold are often found on surfaces that we touch, including other people's hands. We pick up the virus on our hands, then if we touch our nose, eyes or mouth we can infect ourselves, notes The Medical Minute, a service of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. (more)
You might have seen the big green germ hanging out at the HUB-Robeson Center on Penn State's University Park campus recently. In fact, you might have hugged it (many people did), or the germ might have talked to you about how dangerous it can be, especially in large groups of people. That germ costume is giving four students a unique learning opportunity and a chance to help others stay healthy. It is one aspect of the students' internship with the Infection Control and Prevention department of University Health Services (UHS), which also gives them a chance to help coordinate and run vaccination clinics and monitor the spread of H1N1. (more)
Thanksgiving is a time to share, but don't share the flu. University Health Services (UHS) encourages Penn State students to get vaccinated before they return home for the holiday break. A clinic will be held in 205 Student Health Center on Penn State's University Park campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, to distribute free H1N1 nasal spray vaccine to students 24 years of age and younger and without any chronic health condition. Appointments must be scheduled online through the UHS Web site at http://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs/basics/online_access.cfm. H1N1 vaccinations are free of charge. (more)
A clinic will be held in 205 Student Health Center on Penn State's University Park campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, to distribute H1N1 nasal spray vaccine to students 24 years of age and younger. Appointments must be scheduled online through the University Health Services (UHS) Web site at http://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs/basics/online_access.cfm. H1N1 vaccinations are free of charge. (more)
University Health Services (UHS) clinical staff saw more than 300 students with influenza-like illness (ILI) during the week ending Oct. 24, 2009. Over 1,700 patients have been seen for ILI since the beginning of the fall semester on the University Park campus. (more)
It's just about that time again -- flu season is right around the corner. With the emergence of the H1N1 flu ("swine flu", novel influenza A (H1N1)) earlier this year and an expected resurgence this fall, it's even more important to know what you can do now to protect yourself and those around you from getting sick. (more)
Two students at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, have tested positive for the H1N1 virus. These two students were among four who tested positive for Type A influenza at the college's Health and Wellness Center last week. Further testing, done via a nasal swab, confirmed the flu as H1N1. The college is awaiting test results on the remaining two students. (more)
University Health Services (UHS) saw a tenfold increase in patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) during the week of Sept. 7. On Monday, Sept. 14, more than 60 students with ILI were seen -- more than on any previous day. As the number of cases increase, UHS reminds ill students that most people who get H1N1 influenza recover completely with rest and self-care, and do not need to see a health care provider. (more)