St. Joseph County has recently received shipments of the newly developed H1N1 vaccine, and University Health Services Director Ann Kleva said a limited amount will distributed on campus, but she just doesn't know when. The local health department will decide how much of the vaccine to give to Health Services and when it will arrive at Notre Dame, she said."We're going to be getting the vaccines in little by little each week," she said. "We will be giving it to the highest priority of people, which has been outlined by the [Center for Disease Control]."Kleva said the H1N1 vaccine will be offered first to pregnant women, people caring for young children and infants and health care personnel. Young adults aged 19 to 24 are also listed as a priority because they tend to live in close proximity, generally on college campuses. Students, faculty and staff will be eligible to receive the University's supply of the vaccine."Our students are still in a high priority group, but since we're only going to get so much of the vaccine, it's tiered even further," she said. Currently, the vaccine is available in the form of nasal flu mist. Kleva said eventually the state may receive it in the form of an injection."I feel very strongly that we make the vaccine available to our population, should they chose to receive it," she said.Kleva said she has heard some concern about the spread of the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, from students and parents — especially after reports of a swine flu-related death in St. Joseph County.The Indiana Department of Health confirmed Thursday that a resident of the County died after contracting the H1N1 virus.The death is the state's fifth swine flu death in 2009.The 11-year old girl was taken to Memorial Hospital last Monday, and died early Tuesday morning, according to a South Bend Tribune report.But Kleva said the incidents of H1N1 on campus have been relatively mild."This case had a tragic outcome," she said of the 11-year-old's death. "But we have to remember the vast majority of people who get H1N1 are experiencing a lot less symptoms than even the seasonal flu."The number of swine flu cases on campus has decreased in the past three weeks, Kleva said.Through Oct. 3, Health Services has treated a total of 334 students with Influenza Like Illness."I would love to think that we are over the hump with H1N1," she said. But she said students are not in the clear yet.Kleva said another rash of outbreaks could occur after Fall break as students return to their homes all over the country and get exposed elsewhere. "The numbers are coming down, but the seasonal flu season is just starting."
