Priority list guides vaccine recipients
November 5, 2009 by Michelle Ireton
The Center for Disease Control has released a list of priority groups to receive vaccinations in the case of shortages of the H1N1 vaccine.
The list includes pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than six months of age, health care and emergency medical services personnel, children six months through four years of age and children five through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions.
Fort Hays State University students who meet the requirements can get the vaccine now.
“We are giving some H1N1 vaccines today. We have a very limited number of them here right now,” said Dona Koenigsman, the Director of Student Health.
Student Health Center director Dona Koenigsman gets her H1N1 vaccine from RN Lottie Porsi. The Student Health Center recently began administering the vaccine.
Koenigsman said the health center ordered vaccinations from the Ellis County Health Department. The department controls how many the health center gets each week.
If there appears to be no shortage in vaccinations, the list will be amended to include all people with a chronic disorder who are between the ages of 18 and 64. Pharmacy workers and other care providers who do not always have direct contact with patients will also be included.
“At this point, I think it’s just the speed that the vaccine is coming out, so it’s not looking like there is going to be a shortage,” Koenigsman said.
Senior Sarah Schumacher, a nursing student who has received the vaccine, said she was glad she was part of the priority list.
“I work at the Hays Medical Center, and they make it mandatory for all employees to receive the shot. Because we come into direct contact with people showing symptoms of H1N1, we have a strong chance of contracting the disease, so I am glad I get to get it first,” Schumacher said.
Koenigsman said in order to receive the shot, students must present their Tiger Cards and must meet the requirements.
“Fortunately here at Fort Hays, we don’t have that big of a list of high priority. Best-case scenario: I get a few 100 more doses, we can start giving it to the general population,” Koenigsman said.
