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For most people, getting the flu vaccine every year usually isn't a problem.
But this year is different.
Not only is the vaccine for the swine flu, or H1N1 virus, in short supply, but so is the vaccine for regular seasonal flu.
Health officials are targeting students, including college students, because they're among the most at risk.
Local colleges have been conducting campus clinics to administer the vaccines for seasonal flu.
One of the biggest concerns about colleges and universities is that campuses are not closed environments.
"Faculty and staff also have children and relatives at home," said Sandy Spayd, director of student wellness and campus health at Elizabethtown College.
"They can spread the virus quickly, so we need to make sure our college family is healthy."
Elizabethtown College conducted a series of seasonal flu vaccine clinics this fall to reduce the risk of students, faculty and staff contracting the regular flu.
"We are fortunate that we got more vaccines than we had anticipated," Spayd said. "So far we've had four clinics, during which over 500 flu vaccines were administered."
The college's next flu clinic is scheduled for Monday. The vaccine will be administered at a cost of $18.
"This time we will have 210 vaccines available for the college community, and family members who do not have access to it can also come to the campus to get it," Spayd said.
School administrators are beefing up efforts to encourage students to take steps to keep the virus from spreading further.
"We have to prioritize those students who have underlying health risks. They will get it first," Spayd said. "My understanding on how to proceed is students first, then everyone else."
At Lancaster Bible College, student health services also is working hard to keep up with an unusual flu season.
The college held a flu vaccine clinic in September, and more students received the seasonal flu shot than last year, according to Mary Lou Joline, the school's director of health services.
"We had a clinic in September and administered about 70 vaccines," Joline said. "We usually do 50, so the turnout was higher."
Joline said the school expects another set of vaccines by the end of November.
"There will be a nominal fee, but anyone from the college and their family members will have access to it," she said.
Flu activity is widespread in 48 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu-related hospitalizations and deaths continue to increase and are very high nationwide compared to what is expected for this time of year.
Meanwhile, Millersville University experienced a lull in the flu activity on campus last week with no new cases, according to Janet Kacskos, director of communications.
The university held its flu clinic in early October.
"Last week the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that they had received our vaccine order but cannot confirm when or how much H1N1 vaccine MU health services will receive," medical director Susan F. Northwall said in a late October e-mail to students, faculty, administration and staff.
The nationwide vaccine shortage has hit Franklin & Marshall College as well.
The college received only 250 doses and was able to buy 100 additional doses from Elizabethtown College. Those were administered during two clinics in October, according to Dulcey Antonucci, director of media relations.
Franklin & Marshall and Campus Apartments — property manager of College Row, where 393 students are housed — teamed up with several health care providers and conducted a seasonal flu vaccination event Monday.
"Franklin & Marshall is now waiting for another 160 doses," Antonucci said.
That's the same number the college ordered the previous year, she said, adding that the vaccine is given first to students who are at high risk.
Spayd said Elizabethtown College has "been in the position where others are now."
"They had nothing else to give," Spayd said, "and when you find out that another institution is in need, then you want to help."
How Elizabethtown College was able to secure enough vaccines against the seasonal flu is just the luck of the stars, Spayd said.
"We try to stay ahead in the planning, so we ordered an additional 50," she said. "But somehow that translated to an additional 500 doses."
The CDC recommends flu shots for people of all ages with chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes and for everybody who has close contact with those in a risk group.
As for the swine flu vaccine, both Elizabethtown and F&M are still waiting for their supply.
"At this point, we have petitioned the state Health Department to be our provider," Spayd said. "It will be given to the campus community only, but if all goes well and we have some available, then I will check with the state department to see if we can offer it to the community."
The H1N1 vaccination has limited availability across the nation at this time and also is prioritized for high-risk groups.
