Vaccine given to students with pre-existing conditions
by Alana Abramson
Staff writer
News | 11/17/09
Posted online at 2:25 AM EST on 11/17/09
The Health Center has received its first dosages of the H1N1 vaccinations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which have been distributed to University emergency and health care personnel, said Rick Sawyer, the dean of student life, in an interview with the Justice. The extra vaccinations were distributed to approximately 20 students with pre-existing health conditions, he said.
Sawyer sent an e-mail to the Brandeis community Nov. 7 in which he explained that the department of public health recommended inoculating emergency and health personnel first, and that there would be a gradual increase in the number of dosages. He wrote in the e-mail that after the health and emergency personnel were inoculated, the subsequent round of vaccinations would be provided to those students with pre-existing health conditions.
In his e-mail, Sawyer cited the qualifying conditions: pregnancy, acting as the caretaker of an infant, as well as suffering from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurological conditions, cancer or pulmonary diseases like asthma and cystic fibrosis. He told the Justice, however, that there could potentially be some ambiguity as to what constitutes a pre-existing health condition.
"It gets a little gray when considering who is high-risk and who is risky," Sawyer said.
Dr. Deborah Poaster, the health center medical director, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the health center has administered 700 seasonal flu inoculations, and that she expects the last shipment of 300 doses to arrive in December.
Poaster wrote in her e-mail that the health center had ordered 3,000 vaccinations. Sawyer said that after the first two dosages were distributed, he hoped to open H1N1 clinics distributing the vaccination to all who wanted it after Thanksgiving.
Sawyer added that opening these clinics would likely entail bringing in additional medical help to facilitate, explaining that there is simply not enough staff to operate the clinics.
Sawyer sent an e-mail to the Brandeis community Nov. 7 in which he explained that the department of public health recommended inoculating emergency and health personnel first, and that there would be a gradual increase in the number of dosages. He wrote in the e-mail that after the health and emergency personnel were inoculated, the subsequent round of vaccinations would be provided to those students with pre-existing health conditions.
In his e-mail, Sawyer cited the qualifying conditions: pregnancy, acting as the caretaker of an infant, as well as suffering from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurological conditions, cancer or pulmonary diseases like asthma and cystic fibrosis. He told the Justice, however, that there could potentially be some ambiguity as to what constitutes a pre-existing health condition.
"It gets a little gray when considering who is high-risk and who is risky," Sawyer said.
Dr. Deborah Poaster, the health center medical director, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the health center has administered 700 seasonal flu inoculations, and that she expects the last shipment of 300 doses to arrive in December.
Poaster wrote in her e-mail that the health center had ordered 3,000 vaccinations. Sawyer said that after the first two dosages were distributed, he hoped to open H1N1 clinics distributing the vaccination to all who wanted it after Thanksgiving.
Sawyer added that opening these clinics would likely entail bringing in additional medical help to facilitate, explaining that there is simply not enough staff to operate the clinics.
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