By Adam De Lucia

The shortage of the influenza vaccine in the United States is not limiting the University’s supply; however, inoculations have been reserved for priority groups.

“Here at the University we do have flu vaccine,” Maureen Houck, director of the Health and Wellness Center, said. “The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has given what are called interim guidelines for priority groups of people who need the vaccine. The University has chosen to adhere to those guidelines.

The health center is “only utilizing vaccines for high priority groups,” Houck said. University students must match CDC guidelines to be inoculated.

Students over the age of 65, students between the ages of 2 and 64 with chronic illness, those involved in campus health care, students who will deliver babies this flu season and those caring for children under the age of six months are considered to be priority groups.

It is recommended students not in priority groups, as well as faculty, seek vaccinations from their private health care providers.

There are reasons for these criteria, she said.

“Influenza is a serious respiratory disease.” People in priority groups experience high fatality rates from influenza.

The University currently possesses 300 vaccines, Houck said. Last year, the health center possessed 250 vaccinations. The entire supply was used.

There are over 13,000 students, so the health center does not possess enough vaccinations for the whole University even if inoculations were not distributed by priority.

The national shortage of flu vaccine stems from a contaminated supply at Chiron Corporation, one of only two global manufacturers of flu vaccine, Houck said.

Chiron was to make 46 to 48 million of the expected 100 million vaccines for the United States this year.

According to information released by the CDC, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom suspended the license of Chiron Corporation.

MHRA gave no further details about the contaminated vaccines.

Aventis Pasteur Inc., another American manufacturer of flu vaccine, will now be responsible for supplying nearly 54 million of the flu vaccines for the United States.

Houck said the University vaccine supply was received because it was purchased from Aventis before Chiron’s license was revoked.

Vaccines not distributed yet have been designated for high priority areas by the government, she said.

Houck attempted to purchase more vaccines from Aventis in August, but was denied.

Individuals in University priority groups may contact the Health and Wellness Center to make an appointment for a flu vaccination.