Northwestern and Evanston health officials administered a record number of H1N1 vaccines from Nov. 17 to Nov. 19 at Norris University Center and Patten Gymnasium — a higher number of flu vaccines than in any previous year, according to Vice President of University Relations Al Cubbage. These vaccines, provided by Evanston Health and Human Services, were free of charge to Northwestern members who fell in “priority groups” as set by the CDC.
According to Dr. Donald Misch, Executive Director of University Health Services, a total of 4,350 vaccines were given, a number equating to about half the undergraduate population. Despite high demand, vaccines did not run out during the three days of administration.
Health officials did change their plans slightly in order to ensure that students and other priority groups got vaccines and that supplies lasted. The university’s original notice to the Northwestern community said that only the first of the three days would be reserved for people in priority groups, but in practice all three days were reserved. And a subsequent notice informed the community that only Norris, and not Patten, would be open on Thursday.
“The swine flu vaccine is definitely more popular than the normal flu vaccine,” Cubbage said. “We were very much pleased with the number of the turnout, because students live in such close quarters which can lead to a potential outbreak.”
These numbers may relate to the staggering number of cases of the virus that students have already reported. According to Cubbage, as of Nov. 10 there had been 560 suspected cases of H1N1. Cubbage added that officials suspect the number of H1N1 cases to be “severely underreported.”
Lines flooded Norris and Patten from Tuesday to Thursday. Students struggled to receive vaccines during their busy schedules. Wait times ranged from 0 minutes at Patten to 1 hour and 50 minutes at Norris during the three days of vaccination service.
Weinberg senior Laura Adelson was surprised at the turnout, but said it was justified. “I think that [free vaccinations] is a good policy so that the cost would not be prohibitive for everyone,” she said. “Because everyone has an equal opportunity, there’s greater incentive to become vaccinated.”
A large chunk of the student body stayed away from the vaccine altogether because of a combination of their fears of the vaccine, confidence in their own ability to avoid the virus and the inconvenience of waiting for the vaccination.
“I feel like I’ve already been exposed to swine flu,” Weinberg freshman Alex Gunn said. “Ten people on my floor got it, my roommate got it and I also got the regular flu shot. I felt like I was already protected.”
He added that the length of the lines and his awareness of a past scare that the vaccination multiplied the illness contributed to his decision to not get vaccinated.
Not all Northwestern community members could receive a vaccination if they wanted one. A significant number of people who did not meet CDC “priority group” criteria were turned away because of the short supply of the vaccine. Those arriving after 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday did not get an opportunity to be vaccinated because the lines were closing.
Vaccines are still offered by the city of Evanston, depending on the amount of supplies they receive.
“This [vaccine] should help reduce the spread of H1N1,” said Cubbage. “Assuming most people vaccinated were undergraduates, H1N1 only has half the potential now.”