CWU Forced To Cancel Flu Shot Clinics

October 19, 2004

Contact: Bob Trumpy (509-963-1876/fax 509-963-1886/e-mail: trumpyr@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Because of a severe national shortage of flu vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging only high-risk people get a flu shot this year.

The high-risk categories, as defined by the CDC, include people 65 and older, children ages 6 to 23 months, people with chronic medical conditions including asthma, other respiratory or cardiac conditions, diabetes, residents of long-term care facilities, health-care workers and pregnant women.

"We urge all Central Washington University students who fall into this category to contact their local or hometown physician or the county Health Department to get a flu shot," Bob Trumpy, senior director of the CWU student health, counseling and wellness services, says. "At this point it's very doubtful that we will obtain enough vaccine to offer our annual free flu clinics or to immunize any healthy students. If we are able to obtain any vaccine, we will use it only for high-risk students."

Because of that, all Central students should be aware that the free flu clinics, normally held in November on the Ellensburg campus, will be cancelled.

"We will update the campus if the situation changes and vaccine becomes available later in the season," Trumpy adds.

However, the vaccine is just one way to protect against the flu, according to Trumpy, who also recommends frequent hand washing for students as a way to help reduce their risk.