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H1N1 (swine) Flu Vaccination

UHS is currently out of injectable H1N1 vaccine. When we have injectable vaccine, it will be limited to priority groups (see Who should get H1N1 vaccine as soon as it's available?)

For seasonal flu vaccination at UHS, see Flu and Vaccination.

 Shot or FluMist? See
Which H1N1 (SWINE) FLU VACCINE is Right for Me? (PDF)

On this page:

Cost:

Students: Free for currently enrolled UM students on the Ann Arbor campus (covered by the health service fee).

Others: $28 administration fee, payable at time of service by charge/debit card or check (no cash). UHS will bill Premier Care, GradCare, BlueCross BlueShield, Medicare and Aetna Student Health Insurance (domestic and international). Coverage is determined by your insurance company.

Who should get H1N1 vaccine as soon as it is available?
When injectable vaccine is available, it will be restricted to the following priority groups.

  • Anyone 10-64 years old with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system (see CDC website for details)
  • Currently pregnant women
  • People who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age
  • Health care and emergency medical care personnel who have direct patient contact

Who should NOT get the vaccine, or who should wait to get it?

  • People who are not in the groups listed above should wait until vaccine becomes more widely available.
  • People who have a life-threatening allergy to eggs or any other substance in the vaccine should not get the vaccine.
  • If you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction after a dose of seasonal flu vaccine, or if you have ever had Guillain-Barre Syndome, you should discuss vaccination with your health care provider.
  • If you are moderately or severely ill at the time of vaccination, you may be advised to wait until you recover. (If you have a mild cold or other illness, there is usually no need to wait.)
  • If you got the seasonal FluMist this year and you want to get H1N1 FluMist, you must allow 28 days between the two vaccinations, and vice versa.

Should I get vaccinated if I had flu recently?
If you had flu or flu-like illness recently, it's still recommended to get vaccinated for both H1N1 flu and seasonal flu, especially if you are at higher risk (see Who should get H1NI vaccine as soon as it is available?). 

When should I get H1N1 vaccine?
It is recommended to get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available, depending upon your risk (see Who should get H1NI vaccine as soon as it is available?). The injectable form can be given at the same time as other vaccines, including the seasonal flu vaccine. If you got the seasonal FluMist this year and you want to get H1N1 FluMist, you must allow 28 days between the two vaccinations, and vice versa.

What form of vaccine is right for me?
UHS will provide both the injectable vaccine and FluMist nasal vaccine, depending on availability. See Which H1N1 (SWINE) FLU VACCINE is Right for Me? (PDF)

If you got the seasonal FluMist this year and you want to get H1N1 FluMist, you must allow 28 days between the two vaccinations, and vice versa.

How many doses?

Adults and children age 10 and older need only one dose of injectable vaccine.

Children through 9 years of age should get two doses of injectable vaccine, about a month apart (note that UHS serves children ages 10 and older).

Why get vaccinated for H1N1?
By getting vaccinated, you can reduce your risk of illness, reduce severity and length of illness, plus help protect others. 

H1N1 is a new flu virus, and most people have little or no immunity to it. Although H1N1 causes similar symptoms to seasonal flu, it spreads more easily and so can affect more people. In addition, many people are vulnerable to complications from flu.

Is H1N1 vaccine safe and effective? What are side effects?
The H1N1 vaccine is made just like seasonal flu vaccine, and it is expected to be as safe and effective as seasonal flu vaccine. The injectable form contains inactivated virus. It will not cause flu. It helps prevent H1N1 but will not prevent seasonal flu or “influenza-like” illness caused by other viruses.

Side effects may include:

  • For the shot, minor side effects include soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given; mild fever, mild muscle aches
  • For FluMist, minor side effects include runny/stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, chills, tiredness, weakness, mild headache, mild muscle aches, mld fever
  • Life-threatening allergic reactions to either form of vaccine are very rare. People who have systemic allergic reactions -- like trouble breathing, to eggs or chicken protein -- should not get a flu vaccine.

In 1976, an earlier type of swine flu vaccine was associated with Guillan-Barre Syndrome (GBS). Since then, flu vaccines have not been clearly linked to GBS.

Some injectable H1N1 vaccine contains a preservative called thimerosol. (FluMist does not contain thimerosol or other preservatives.) Although some people have suggested that thimerosol might be related to autism, extensive studies have found no association.

For more information: