On Thursday, Oct. 30, University Health Service (UHS) staff will attempt to vaccinate 5,000 students, faculty and staff against this year’s flu virus. The effort will doubly serve as a test of emergency preparedness to practice delivering mass quantities of vaccine or drug in response to an urgent public health concern.The effort is being coordinated by UHS, RC/MERT (University of Rochester River Campus Medical Emergency Response Team), University Environmental Health & Safety and the Monroe County Office of Emergency Preparedness.
All River Campus-based students, faculty and staff are asked to consider participating in this clinic if they wish to receive the flu shot this year. The greater the participation, the more accurate a test it will be of the University’s emergency preparedness.
“We will have to give about 600 vaccinations an hour to meet our goal,” said Ralph Manchester, MD, vice provost and UHS director. “To do that, we need about half of all River Campus-based students, faculty and staff to participate. We will be well organized to move participants through quickly.”
The clinic will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Goergen Athletic Center. Nearly all UHS staff will be on hand to help.The Oct. 30 process will mimic the urgency of a real emergency vaccination, but will otherwise be the same as a regular seasonal flu clinic—individuals will fill complete a form and then sit down with a nurse to receive the shot. To fill out that form in advance, visit: www.rochester.edu/uhs.
Students and employees should bring their UR ID and health insurance cards with them to facilitate the process, entering the Goergen Center from a specially designated Library Road entrance. MERT volunteers will be on hand to direct individuals. Flu vaccination is almost always covered by student and employee health insurance plans.
Students with high risk health conditions and those who may not be on campus Oct. 30 can receive flu shots at UHS any time by appointment. Separate clinics will be scheduled to accommodate the Eastman School of Music and the School of Medicine & Dentistry.
