In addition to vaccinating the at-risk campus population, Montclair State University will be providing the H1N1 vaccine to family members of students and staff this week.
H1N1 flu is now widespread in New Jersey and approximately 200 cases of ILI (Influenza Like Illness) have occurred on campus.
The primary defense against H1N1 is vaccination. The University has administered over 2,000 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine and has additional vaccine available. We will continue to offer H1N1 flu shots to our campus membership and now will include family members of MSU students, faculty and staff that belong to one of the target groups. All target group family members including children age 6 months and older are eligible to receive a flu shot.
An H1N1 Flu Clinic will be held December 2, 2009, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the University Health Center in Blanton Hall for MSU students, faculty and staff and eligible family members. No appointment is necessary and the vaccine is free. Individuals under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
To find out if you are eligible within the target population, click on the CDC website. H1N1 shots cannot be provided to non-target group members until the state grants approval.
In July of 2009, the World Health Organization issued a press release stating that it will no longer release the global table of H1N1 infections because it is “extremely difficult, if not impossible” to determine swine flu cases in laboratory testing. “Even in countries with limited laboratory capacities, WHO recommends that the initial virological assessment is followed by the testing of at least 10 samples per week in order to confirm that disease activity is due to the pandemic virus and to monitor changes in the virus that may be important for case management and vaccine development.”
The Centers for Disease Control issued a similar statement on October 2, 2009. “Influenza diagnosis will not distinguish between infection with seasonal influenza vs. infection with A-H1N1. Furthermore, it will not be confirming influenza infections with a diagnostic test, but rather, will rely upon the clinician’s judgement to determine flu infection if the patient presents with flu-like symptoms.”
Their statement of H1N1 being “widespread in New Jersey”, while in all likelihood true, is an unprovable guess that they have staged as a fact. And the primary defense against Flu remains good health and a robust immune system, not vaccinations.
What’s your point, Amandala? That the immune system is the “primary defense” against flu? Well, duh. Beyond that 25 cent fact, what are you saying, exactly? That there’s a conspiracy among the CDC and WHO, which are in bed with Big Pharma, to exaggerate the prevalence of H1N1 to scare people into taking the vaccine unnecessarily? Next you’ll be quoting Col. Ripper about precious bodily fluids. Or Dr. Mercola!
To correct just one error: it’s simply not true that it is “difficult, if not impossible” to diagnose H1N1 in the lab. It might help to see the entire sentence from WHO the press release back in July:
The increasing number of cases in many countries with sustained community transmission is making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for countries to try and confirm them through laboratory testing.
The point being that the testing was halted because the caseload was overwhelming and the pandemic clearly established.