KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will offer vaccinations for the H1N1 flu from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Tennessee Recreation Center for Students (TRECS), located at 2111 Volunteer Blvd.
This clinic will be open to all UT Knoxville-area students, faculty, staff and their immediate family members including children age 14 and older. Vaccines will be given free of charge. Due to the limited amount of vaccine available, doses will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. The campus will hold future vaccine clinics as additional shipments are received.
Both the flu mist nasal spray and the injection vaccine for H1N1 — also known as swine flu — will be available. Individuals between 14 and 49 years old who are healthy and not pregnant can choose which form of the vaccine to receive. Those age 50 and older are not eligible to take the nasal spray.
The H1N1 vaccines are being produced using the same technology as the seasonal flu vaccines, with a similar safety profile. Seasonal flu vaccines have a very good safety record, and the H1N1 vaccines are expected to have comparable results. More information about H1N1 flu vaccines can be found here.
The UT Knoxville campus already has seen many cases of H1N1. Symptoms of H1N1 are similar to those of the seasonal flu. They include fever, cough, sore throat and body aches. In most people, the illness tends to be relatively mild, and they do not need to seek medical care. UT Student Health Service has asked students who suspect they have H1N1 not to come to the clinic unless they are pregnant, have a chronic illness or suffer complications, such as difficulty breathing, fever that does not come down with medicine, or the inability to keep liquids down.
To minimize the risk of contracting or transmitting colds, seasonal flu and H1N1:
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. If a tissue is not available, cough into your shirt sleeve.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
- Wash your hands before eating.
- Do not share your food or drink with others.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Stay home if you are sick and restrict contact with others until you’ve been symptom-free for 24 hours. A mild, lingering cough may occur and, barring any other flu symptoms, this shouldn’t prevent resumption of normal activities.
For more information about influenza-like illnesses, contact UT Student Health Service at (865) 974-3135 or visit http://studenthealth.utk.edu.
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C O N T A C T :
Amy Blakely, (865-974-8304, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)
Rebekah Winkler, (865-974-8304, rwinkler@utk.edu)