The best way for college students to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus is to receive the vaccine, according to U.S. Sec. of Education Arne Duncan in a conference call about H1N1 yesterday.

“We are not out of the woods with regards to H1N1,” Duncan said.

He acknowledged the spread of the H1N1 virus has slowed a bit but said that can change at anytime.

About 84 percent of colleges in the U.S. have received doses of the vaccine, Duncan said, so he encouraged students to try to get vaccinated before winter break.

Universities will receive more batches of the vaccine as it continues to be manufactured, Duncan said.

He explained the H1N1 vaccine is being produced daily.

Doses of the vaccine will be available at Emory’s H1N1 vaccine clinics in the Dobbs University Center today and during specified days next week, according to a Universitywide e-mail from Student Health Services Executive Director Michael Huey.

All Emory students, faculty and staff and immediate, same household family members at least 18 years old in all CDC priority groups including: "pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than six months of age, health care and emergency medical secives personnel, persons between the ages of six months through 24 years of age ... and people from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1" are eligible to receive the vaccine, Huey wrote in the school-wide e-mail.

About 900 students had received the H1N1 vaccine at Emory as of yesterday, Huey wrote in an e-mail to the Wheel.

“We know we don’t have enough vaccine for all students who will be interested,” Huey said in a previous Wheel article. “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.”

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

The H1N1 shots are free for Emory students who have the Emory Student Health Insurance Plan and show their EmoryCard and Aetna Student Health Insurance card. Students, faculty and staff who are not insured by Emory must pay a $10 H1N1 vaccine administration fee.

Duncan encouraged students to look on www.flu.gov to find other locations near their universities where the vaccine is available in case it is difficult to get vaccinated on campus.

College students should also make sure to clean the surfaces in their dorms and, if infected, avoid going to class until 24 hours after their fever subsides, Duncan said. For students who live close to their respective universities, Duncan said they should go home if they become infected with the H1N1 virus.

“It’s not helping your peers if you are going to class sick,” Duncan said.

­— Contact Molly Davis

Editor's Note: This story has been modified from its print version due to incorrect information.