Should students plan to get the H1N1 vaccine?

Andrew Meade / The Brunswickan  

H1N1 Immunization clinics have begun in New Brunswick, but the vaccine is only available to those in priority groups. People with chronic medical conditions under the age of 65, pregnant women, children under 18, health care workers, and First Nations are all high priority groups.

The Student Health Center does not currently have the vaccine but Dr. JoAnne Majerovich, Director of the Student Health Centre said that the centre is “working with Public Health to hold H1N1 vaccination clinics on campus during the second half of November.”

The Student Health Centre can’t predict exactly when the vaccine will arrive, but once it is available the centre will inform students, faculty and staff using e-daily and Twitter, and notices will be put up around campus.

When asked if students are at high risk for the H1N1 flu, Majerovich explained that, “pandemic viruses in general tend to affect a different, and younger, demographic group than seasonal influenza.” Although the exact reason why this virus targets younger people isn’t clear, Majerovich explained the medical community’s belief is, “that because pandemic viruses appear infrequently, they seem to more severely affect those whose immune systems have less overall experience, hence younger age groups.”

Another theory is that a pandemic in the late 1950s has given people who experienced that virus a cross-protection against H1N1.

Majerovich suggests that students get immunized in order “to protect themselves from getting H1N1 influenza and possible adverse consequences from the flu.”

To quell some of the fears that students may have about this vaccine, Majerovich explained that the H1N1 vaccine is essentially a variation of the seasonal flu shot.

“Although the H1N1 flu virus is new and different, the process for making the flu vaccine is not.  These processes have been used for many years and have lots of safety data to back them up.  There is no reason to think that this vaccine is any less safe. It has already been administered to many thousands of people across Europe,” said Majerovich.

Majerovich also pointed out that the vast majority of side effects people experience from the vaccine are minor and temporary such as a sore arm at the injection site, or a mild fever.

“These are much less severe than influenza infection, and last for a much shorter time,” Majerovich pointed out. Serious side effects occur very rarely, and the risks from contracting the flu are far greater than the risks associated with a severe reaction to the vaccine Majerovich said.

Information about vaccine clinic hours and locations is available at www.gnb.ca/flu as well as information about the virus and vaccine.