Responses of US college and university student health services to the 2004 influenza vaccine shortage.
The United States experienced a shortage of influenza vaccine for the 2004--2005 influenza season. The authors surveyed college health programs to determine whether they had targeted vaccine to priority groups and knew how to reallocate remaining vaccine. They used an electronic message to distribute a Web-based survey to the members of 3 college-affiliated organizations--the Association of American Colleges and Universities, American Association of Community Colleges, American College Health Association--and to subscribers of the Student Health Service Listserv. They received 434 completed surveys. Sixty percent (259) of the respondents stated they had received vaccine and planned to vaccinate their high-risk students, staff, and faculty members; 77% (198) planned to reallocate leftover vaccine. Given the potential for future disruptions of the influenza vaccine supply, the authors recommend that college health programs establish policies to identify members of their high-risk population and also consider providing the live attenuated influenza virus vaccine.
Allred
Norma J
NJ
Immunization Services Division, National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. NAllred@cdc.gov
Turner
James C
JC
David
Felicita
F
DeLozier
David M
DM
Strikas
Raymond A
RA
D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000600:supply & distribution* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013333:Student Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration
D007252:Influenza Vaccines