Last modified: Tuesday, December 15, 2009
H1N1 vaccines available to all IU students, employees beginning Dec. 21
No reservations needed, vaccines available for priority groups immediately
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 15, 2009
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University Bloomington Health Center officials today (Dec. 15) announced that reservations were no longer needed for priority group members to receive H1N1 vaccines.
The IU Bloomington Health Center is currently the site for any IU Bloomington employee or student to receive a free H1N1 vaccine, no reservation needed, if they fall into the priority recipient group. Beginning Dec. 21 any IU Bloomington employee or student can receive the vaccine at the Health Center without a reservation.
The free vaccines are available now without reservation at the IU Health Center to any IU employee or student who is a member of a priority group. That group includes pregnant women, anyone through age 24, any health care or emergency medical personnel, caregivers and those living with infants under 6 months of age, or anyone age 25-64 with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system.
Beginning Dec. 21, the Health Center -- located at 600 N. Jordan Ave. -- will offer free H1N1 vaccines to all IU Bloomington students, faculty and staff. No appointment will be needed. Health Center hours next week will be from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. The center will be closed Thursday and Friday (Dec. 24-25).
Health officials are still urging that precautions continue to be taken to help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like the flu.
"It's important to wash hands frequently, cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue or sleeve, and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth," said IU Health Center director Diana Ebling, M.D. "Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective, and stay home if you have flu symptoms."
For more information about receiving the vaccine, call 812-855-7688. For more information about H1N1, visit a question and answer session with Ebling at https://healthcenter.indiana.edu/events/swinefluqa.html. IU has also posted information about H1N1 for students, faculty and staff at https://www.indianauniversity.info.
