November 21, 2008

Free flu clinic shows campus how to prepare

By Julia Ann Easley

UC Davis will offer free influenza vaccinations on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to exercise its ability to quickly dispense medication in a public health emergency.

The clinic, to be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Freeborn Hall, will provide up to 1,300 vaccinations for members of the campus community aged 18 and up.

It will also showcase the first application of UC Davis’ telemedicine capabilities — usually providing one-on-one medical consultations — for a mass vaccination.

The campus will be practicing its role in Yolo County’s plan for rapidly distributing medicine — including antibiotics, antidotes and vaccines — and medical supplies under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Strategic National Stockpile Program. In September, the university signed an agreement with the county to become one of more than 15 distribution sites in the county’s plan.

Valerie Lucus, campus emergency manager, said the experience of running the clinic will enhance UC Davis’ readiness for emergencies. “This exercise will not only help UC Davis prepare to meet its responsibilities to its neighbors, but also to care for its own in a major health problem.”

Two vaccine types

The clinic will offer two types of vaccines. About 1,000 doses of FluMist, a vaccine sprayed into the nose, will be available for individuals between the ages of 18 and 49. The nasal spray contains live, but weakened influenza virus.

About 300 doses of a vaccine injected with a needle will be available for those age 50 and up. The flu shot is an inactivated (or killed) vaccine injected into muscle. It is recommended for anyone 50 years or older; women who will be pregnant during the flu season; anyone with certain long-term health problems, a weakened immune system, or muscle or nerve disorders.

Registered nurses from Student Health Services and Occupational Health Services will administer the vaccines.

Running the clinic

Members of the Emergency Operations Center team, which coordinates response to major campus emergencies, have had basic training in how to operate a distribution site, and the campus is enlisting about 160 volunteers to help run the clinic.

The clinic will feature a telemedicine connection with a physician specializing in adult infectious diseases at the UC Davis Medical Center. Through secure videoconferencing, Javeed Siddiqui, an assistant professor and associate medical director of the Center for Health and Technology, will be available to consult with clinic nurses about any vaccination questions or side effects.

County involvement

The Strategic National Stockpile Program, managed by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, maintains a national repository of life-saving pharmaceuticals for rapid distribution to state and local public health agencies in a national emergency, ranging from a terrorist attack to a flu outbreak.

For the Dec. 3 clinic, the Yolo County health department will provide most of the vaccine and other supplies for running a distribution site. During the exercise, the county department will also test its ability to deliver additional vaccine from its storage facility.

The county is providing about 1,000 doses of FluMist for the exercise. Safety Services, which oversees the campus emergency management program, has purchased about 300 doses of the injected vaccine.

Cheryl Boney, deputy director for Yolo County’s public health programs, said UC Davis plays a major role in the county’s plans. “We appreciate partnering with UC Davis to put strategies in place so we can be ready to protect our community in the event of a public health emergency,” she said.

Not too late

Lucus said the Dec. 3 clinic offers a convenient opportunity for members of the campus community who have not yet been vaccinated. About 600 are expected to request vaccinations.

While the CDC recommends that health care providers begin to offer flu vaccinations as soon as the vaccine becomes available in the fall, a later vaccine can still be protective against the disease, which usually peaks in January or February. In fact, the CDC is promoting Dec. 8 to 14 as National Influenza Vaccination Week.

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness, which can be mild to severe and in some cases lead to death. According to the CDC, about 5 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu each year; more than 200,000 are hospitalized, and about 36,000 die. An annual flu vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu, the national public health agency says.

Other vaccinations on campus

Student Health Services recommends that students consider flu vaccinations and offers either type at $25 to students with the Student Health Insurance Plan and at $35 for students without the plan. Student Health Services held two walk-in clinics in the last two weeks and also offers vaccinations by appointment.

Occupational Health Services provides flu vaccinations to some employees by arrangement with their departments.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The campus is seeking volunteers to help run the clinic. At press time, about 60 individuals had volunteered, and the campus needs about 100 more students or employees to assist with registration, data entry, medical screening and more. Overlapping three-hour shifts will include training time. More information about the clinic is available online. To volunteer, e-mail pod-volunteers@ucdavis.edu.