H1N1 vaccine offered to college students in RI

PROVIDENCE—College students will be the next in Rhode Island to be offered the H1N1 flu vaccine.

Dr. David Gifford, the state health director, said Tuesday that there are about 65,000 college students in the state. Any of them who want the H1N1 vaccine will be able to get it starting Monday.

The first round of H1N1 vaccinations will take place on campuses with resident students, including Brown University, Bryant University, Johnson & Wales University, Providence College, Rhode Island College, Rhode Island School of Design, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University and the University of Rhode Island.

Students at those schools can be vaccinated, but they will need to give their permission.  They also need to be 24 years old or younger.

“They do have to sign consent forms. That’s another issue. Students who are under 18 who are traveling home for the Thanksgiving break—get a consent form from your parents and bring them back,“ Giffford said.

Starting Dec. 14, the vaccine will be available at all campuses of the Community College of Rhode Island, the Lincoln Technical Institute, the New England Institute of Technology and the Providence campus of URI.

“We have asked them to try to prioritize students who live in congregant settings in dorms and students who are the high risk,“ Gifford said.

Gifford said the number of reported H1N1 cases is declining, but it is still very high. He also warned that people who have had the seasonal flu can still get the H1N1 flu and that they need to be vaccinated.