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MIT Flu Central – Vaccinations

updated 11/23/09

• H1N1 vaccine
• Seasonal vaccine
• Pneumococcus vaccine

H1N1 vaccine

Upcoming clinics by appointment only:

1. Tuesday, Nov. 24 for:
   • Current MIT undergraduate and graduate students under age 24
   • Pediatric Service patients ages 4-17
   • Pregnant MIT employees
   • Pregnant MIT students
   • Pregnant spouses/partners of MIT students
   • Spouses/partners of pregnant employees and students in their third trimester
     
     
2. Wednesday, Dec. 2 for Pediatric Service patients ages 4-17 who need their first dose of H1N1 vaccine shot.

NOTE: Children under age 10 who got their first H1N1 dose at the Nov. 11 MIT Medical clinic are not eligible for their second shot at the Dec. 2 clinic (four weeks must elapse between the two doses). For children under age 10 who need their second H1N1 shot, a pediatrics clinic is being planned for mid-December. Watch this page for details.

Please call 617-253-4865 to schedule an appointment for the Nov. 24 or Dec. 2 clinic.

Appointments available:

Parents with children under age 4 who get their care in the Pediatric Service and need their first H1N1 shot should call 617-253-1505 for an appointment.

Patients of MIT Medical's Pediatric Service who are at higher risk for complications of H1N1 due to chronic health conditions (for example, heart problems, asthma or other lung conditions, diabetes) or compromised immune systems are being identified based on CDC criteria and are being notified directly to come in and receive H1N1 vaccinations. Parents of infants younger than six months are also being contacted directly.

MIT Medical is administering H1N1 vaccinations following the government-mandated protocol of vaccinating specific groups in order of priority. As supplies allow, we’ll move on to additional high-risk MIT Medical patients and the larger Institute community, including:

• Pregnant spouses of MIT employees who are not MIT Health Plan members
• All people younger than 25
• Higher-risk individuals ages 25–64
• Others who are 25–64
• People older than 64 (studies indicate that the risk for H1N1 infection among persons aged 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups).

MIT has requested enough H1N1 vaccine to offer the shot free of charge to everyone in the MIT community, and we are hoping to organize additional H1N1 vaccination clinics on campus and at MIT Medical/Lexington as supply allows. Keep checking this page for updates.

The H1N1 vaccine will require one dose for those 10 years and older and two doses for those under 10. For more information on the H1N1 flu vaccine, see the CDC publication “2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine: What You Need to Know” (PDF).

Seasonal flu vaccine

MIT Medical patients: To be placed on a waiting list for the seasonal flu vaccine, call 617-253-4865.

Because of supply limitations and increased demand, employees, affiliates and retirees who are not MIT Health Plan members will not be able to obtain a seasonal flu vaccination from MIT Medical this fall, even if the Department eventually receives its full supply of vaccine.

Other places to get a seasonal flu vaccination

• A community flu clinic – health departments in Cambridge and Boston are providing free seasonal flu vaccine clinics. To find clinics in other towns, visit MassPRO’s Public Flu Clinic Finder.
• CVS Minute Clinics inside some CVS stores – if you are an MIT Health Plan member or student unable to attend the October 15 clinic on campus, present your Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) insurance card at CVS Minute Clinics in Massachusetts and confirm that CVS will bill BCBS directly. (Arrangements at Minute Clinics outside Massachusetts may vary.) The closest CVS Minute Clinics to the MIT campus are in the CVS stores at 36 White St. in Porter Square, Cambridge, and 85 High St. in Medford.
• Your own health care provider (for people who are not MIT Medical patients).

Students and Health Plan members who pay for seasonal flu shots outside MIT Medical will be reimbursed up to $35. Obtain an itemized receipt and complete the MIT Health Plan claims form (PDF). Then bring or send the form and receipt to Claims and Member Services (E23-191), which will mail a reimbursement check.

For more information on this year’s seasonal flu vaccine, see the CDC publication “Inactivated Influenza Vaccine 2009–2010: What You Need to Know” (PDF).

Pneumococcus vaccine

Since one of the most severe complications of influenza is the increased risk of developing bacterial pneumonia—especially with the pneumococcus bacteria—pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax) is recommended for some people, including:

• Adults aged 65 or older
• Smokers
• People with underlying medical problems such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and several other conditions.

For more information, see Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine: What You Need to Know [PDF].