Thanksgiving is a time to share, but no one wants to share the flu. University Health Services (UHS) encourages Penn State students to get vaccinated against H1N1 before returning home for the holiday break.
A clinic will be held in 205 Student Health Center on Penn State's University Park campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, to distribute free H1N1 nasal spray vaccine to students 18 to 24 years of age. Appointments must be scheduled online through the UHS Web site at http://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs/basics/online_access.cfm online. H1N1 vaccinations are free of charge.
Sharing eating utensils and drinks during the holidays can spread the flu and should be avoided. Continued hand hygiene and cough etiquette also are important tools for flu prevention.
Students who contract the flu despite these efforts should postpone their return to campus until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
The H1N1 nasal spray is not appropriate for all students, including students with chronic health conditions. Information about who should consider nasal spray is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/nasalspray.htm online.
Vaccination against both seasonal and H1N1 influenza is recommended for college students. It is possible to contract both the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu since exposure to one does not give immunity to the other. The CDC provides information that can help students make informed decisions about vaccination at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm and http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/public/vaccination_qa_pub.htm online.