Since the start of this year’s flu season, some students have been denied the flu shot at the Thielen Student Health Center due to the shortage in flu shots and because they were not considered to be at “high risk.”

Hospitals and health centers across the nation are not receiving their full shipments of the vaccine this year.

Chiron Corp. and Aventis Pasteur are the two companies making flu shots for the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chiron, located in England, had its license revoked due to concerns about the manufacturing standards at the plant. The action is expected to reduce by half the amount of flu vaccine available in the United States for the 2004-2005 influenza season.

“We have sent e-mails to students who we know are at high risk, asking them to come in and receive their annual shot,” said Jim Nelson, director of the student health center. “We have also encouraged those who are healthy and not at risk to skip the vaccine this year to ensure we have enough for priority patients.”

The Iowa Department of Public Health has issued a list of characteristics that distinguishes people who are at high risk. Those with diabetes, lung problems and a history of severe asthma are encouraged to receive the vaccine. Healthy Iowans between the ages of two and 65 have been asked to skip the flu shot to ensure enough vaccines for those at “high risk.”

“The health center has had to say no to some students who have asked for the flu shot because they did not qualify under that criteria,” Nelson said.

Some students are worried about not being able to receive a flu shot this year.

“I know I won’t be able to get a flu shot this season because the state’s screening everyone to see if they really need it, and I’m your average healthy college student,” said Mariah Roling, sophomore in pre-architecture.

“I’m upset because this year I might actually need one. I’m afraid of getting sick and not having health insurance to pay for it. I can’t risk that, but this year I have to.”

Influenza is a severe, contagious respiratory disease that is characterized by the sudden onset of fever, sore throat, body aches, headache and cough. The flu season starts in late fall and early winter and puts the very young, the elderly and those with a history of heart and lung complications at risk.

“We have received instructions from the Iowa Department of Public Health that tell us who we should give the vaccine to,” said Leah Berbano, a house manager at Mary Greeley Medical Center. “Any student that comes to us for the flu shot is asked to visit their primary health provider for the vaccine first. If we are the ones to provide them with the shot, we find out about their health history to determine if a shot is necessary.”

The health center receives their shipments of the vaccine from both Chiron and Aventis.

“Our order was split between the two companies just in case,” Nelson said. “We are still waiting on our full shipment to arrive.”

The health center receives several thousand vaccines each year. This year they will only receive a couple hundred.

Nelson said in order to help prevent the flu, students are encouraged to wash their hands, get plenty of rest, stay hydrated and use tissues when sneezing or coughing.