The Health Center has received its first dosages of the H1N1 vaccinations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which have been distributed to University emergency and health care personnel, said Rick Sawyer, the dean of student life, in an interview with the Justice. The extra vaccinations were distributed to approximately 20 students with pre-existing health conditions, he said. Sawyer sent an e-mail to the Brandeis community Nov. 7 in which he explained that the department of public health recommended inoculating emergency and health personnel first, and that there would be a gradual increase in the number of dosages. He wrote in the e-mail that after the health and emergency personnel were inoculated, the subsequent round of vaccinations would be provided to those students with pre-existing health conditions.

In his e-mail, Sawyer cited the qualifying conditions: pregnancy, acting as the caretaker of an infant, as well as suffering from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurological conditions, cancer or pulmonary diseases like asthma and cystic fibrosis. He told the Justice, however, that there could potentially be some ambiguity as to what constitutes a pre-existing health condition.

"It gets a little gray when considering who is high-risk and who is risky," Sawyer said.

Dr. Deborah Poaster, the health center medical director, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the health center has administered 700 seasonal flu inoculations, and that she expects the last shipment of 300 doses to arrive in December.

Poaster wrote in her e-mail that the health center had ordered 3,000 vaccinations. Sawyer said that after the first two dosages were distributed, he hoped to open H1N1 clinics distributing the vaccination to all who wanted it after Thanksgiving.

Sawyer added that opening these clinics would likely entail bringing in additional medical help to facilitate, explaining that there is simply not enough staff to operate the clinics.

He did not say where the medical help would come from. He added that outsourcing could potentially result in additional costs to students receiving the vaccinations but that the costs would be minimal.

The Health Center is particularly understaffed, said Sawyer, as its nursing director and co-administrator Kathleen Maloney retired last summer. A search is under way for a new director, but Sawyer said the search has not yet been successful.

"In the Boston job market, I think most of the people that would normally be a candidate are pretty well set with a job. That's what it feels like. It's a good job, and an attractive job, but the kind of person we need is probably employed," he explained.

"We continue to interview candidates for this position," Poaster wrote.

She also wrote that she has been working extra hours to compensate for Maloney's retirement.

A student committee was implemented to interview potential candidates for the position.

However, Daniel Litwok '10, a committee member and the Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps' director of operations, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the committee has not met since he was selected to serve on it.

Sawyer explained that the student committee has not yet been involved in interviewing candidates because no candidates have visited campus yet.

According to an e-mail Sawyer sent to the Brandeis community Nov. 13, approximately 170 students have been diagnosed with the flu this semester, and currently 17 students are actively ill and under treatment.

Sawyer attributed the spike to events like the Nov. 5 Ben Folds concert and the Nov. 7 Pachanga, a popular, annual dance sponsored by the International Club. He said that at these type of events, during which large numbers of students are crowded close together, it is very easy for the flu virus to spread.

Sawyer explained that in the upcoming weeks there would be other well-attended events taking place in crowded quarters but he did not specify any such events.

He has been sending out regular e-mails to the Brandeis community throughout the semester recounting the specific number of students ill with the flu.