(Oct. 12, 2009) Students, faculty and staff at UC Denver cued up over the past several weeks to take advantage of seasonal flu shot offerings at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora as well as at our Downtown Denver location. While we await the arrival of the H1N1 flu virus-specific vaccine, the university's Flu Task Force is reviewing how things went to inform plans for the next phase of vaccine offerings.
U.S. health officials report distribution of the H1N1 flu vaccine began more than a week ago in some regions of the country. Initial information indicates that some of the vaccine is an aerosol mist form. All doses are being administered on a priority basis to healthcare workers. Colorado health officials report limited quanities of the vaccine began arriving in the state at the end of last week. As in all parts of the country, priority distribution will be based on the guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more also see www.flu.gov.
Members of UC Denver's Flu Task Force will continue to monitor the situation and to provide updates as appropriate. Then as soon as quanities of the vaccine are available for broader distribution, students, faculty and staff will be alerted via e-mail messaging, announcements from leadership and governance organizations, posters and other communication channels.
Hospitals across Colorado, including University of Colorado Hospital, have implemented visitor restrictions in an effort to protect patients, visitors and employees from the H1N1 and seasonal flu. See details at: http://www.ucdenver.edu/faculty_staff/alert/Flu/FluArchive/Pages/Hospitalsrestrictvisitors.