September 1, 2009

UCSF Plans for Fall Flu Season

The UCSF Occupational Health Program (OHP) is taking steps to prepare for the upcoming influenza season.

While the timing and duration of influenza seasons vary, flu outbreaks can happen as early as October and usually peak in January or later, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Occupational Health Program at UCSF, which consists of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Occupational Health Services and Office of Environmental Health and Safety, is working on a number of measures to protect the health and well being of the campus community. These measures include:

implementing the seasonal flu shot program,
providing comprehensive educational information about seasonal flu and H1N1 flu,
recommending healthy habits, such as the use of personal protective equipment and regular hand washing,
monitoring the outbreak, and
coordinating with external agencies to determine if additional measures should be recommended.

OHP will develop and post a series of updates to address these issues as more information becomes available. News and information about the upcoming vaccination program for seasonal flu and updates about H1N1 also will appear in UCSF Today.

Flu Shots

Every year, more than 6,000 Californians die of complications from influenza. Getting an influenza vaccination continues to be the best thing that Californians can do to prevent hospitalizations and deaths related to influenza.

UCSF Occupational Health Services will provide free seasonal flu shots to any member of the UCSF community with a UCSF ID badge during sessions occurring between Oct.12 and Oct. 28, 2009. The exact schedule will be distributed in late September and will be posted here along with a story on UCSF Today.

After these sessions, flu vaccine will remain available as long as supplies last at the Occupational Health Services clinics at Mount Zion and Parnassus Heights. See the OHP website for location information and drop-in hours.

Seasonal flu is not the same as H1N1 influenza, formerly called swine flu, and the seasonal flu vaccination is not designed to protect against H1N1.

The federal government has contracted with five manufacturers to develop a specific H1N1 vaccine. Delivery of H1N1 vaccine to California is anticipated to begin in late October and will be distributed through local public health departments to selected providers and public clinics.

Initially, H1N1 vaccine is likely to be available in limited quantities and will be allocated to high-risk groups. Over the course of the flu season, ample supply for everyone is expected to be available, according to US health officials. UCSF is monitoring information from state and local agencies about plans for the availability and distribution of H1N1 vaccine and will keep the UCSF community advised.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccinations for certain groups of people, including health care workers. More information is posted on the CDC website:

UCSF’s OHP website compiles chronological messages and articles distributed at UCSF as well as educational information about the seasonal flu vaccination.

In addition, the following websites contain information about seasonal and H1N1 influenza, including flu facts, vaccination, prevention measures and self care:

Flu Shots

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