Emory’s vaccination clinics began administering the H1N1 vaccine to students, faculty, staff and immediate, same-household family members ages 18 to 24 yesterday.

Executive Director of Student Health Services Michael Huey said the clinics in the Dobbs University Center (DUC) have made the vaccine available to more people because those in the priority groups outlined by the CDC who were initially eligible for the vaccination already had ample time to receive it.

Huey explained that the number of people from the priority groups first able to receive the vaccine, such as pregnant women and health-care personnel, has been declining.

“We took this as an indication that we should go ahead and open the clinics to other groups with the remaining vaccine we have,” Huey said.

Though the CDC’s priority group includes everyone between the ages of 6 months and 24 years of age, Huey explained that the University does not vaccinate young children.

Young children can be vaccinated at other locations such as health care-provider offices, schools and pharmacies, according to the CDC’s website.

In addition to all healthy individuals ages 18 to 24, students, faculty and staff between the ages of 25 and 64 with conditions such as diabetes and liver disorders that put them at greater risk for medical complications due to the H1N1 virus can now be vaccinated at Emory.

Previously, the list of medical conditions that allowed people to receive the H1N1 vaccine at Emory was limited to cardiac, pulmonary or neurodegenerative illnesses, Huey said.

Those who wish to be vaccinated must present their Emory ID and personal insurance card.

The H1N1 shots are free for Emory students who have the Emory Student Health Insurance Plan and show their Emory Student ID and Aetna Student Health Insurance card.

Students, faculty and staff who are not insured by Emory must pay a $10 H1N1 vaccine administration fee.

About 1,200 people have been vaccinated against the H1N1 virus at Emory since the University received its first batches of the vaccination in mid-October, according to Huey.

He said the University has received only about 10 percent of the amount of vaccine Emory originally requested.

The University will receive more doses; however, Huey said he does not yet know when this will be.

He said as the federal government continues to manufacture more of the H1N1 vaccine, the University will be able to receive more batches of the vaccine.

“We know we don’t have enough vaccine for all students who will be interested,” Huey said. “There’s no question we are going to run out, but it didn’t seem like a reason for us to hold back. We have the vaccine, and we have students, faculty and staff in the expanded risk groups who want to be vaccinated, and we want to vaccinate as many as we can.”

It is likely that there will be another outbreak of the H1N1 virus during second semester, around the same time as the seasonal influenza outbreak, Huey said.

There may be a “mini version” of the H1N1 outbreak when students return from Thanksgiving break, Huey said.

The H1N1 outbreak began last April, and Huey reported last month that more than 500 Emory students had presumptive cases of the H1N1 virus.

“The more people that can be vaccinated, not just against H1N1 but also against seasonal influenza, the fewer people will get sick with influenza as we come into the spring semester, and therefore the less infection that will spread,” Huey said. “We encourage students to continue to practice good hand hygiene and other preventative measures to try to slow the spread of influenza throughout the remainder of the influenza season.”

Huey also said students infected with the H1N1 virus should self-isolate until their fever subsides for 24 hours.

The CDC stated on its website that those with the virus should stay home and avoid contact with other people, except to get medical care.

Those seeking vaccinations may also go to one of the Dekalb County Board of Health’s five centers.

These centers are administering the H1N1 injectable vaccine in addition to the nasal spray.

Dekalb County Board of Health will distribute vaccines as long as supplies are available, according to a University-wide e-mail Huey sent out last week.

— Contact Molly Davis.