College and universities in Rhode Island will begin providing the H1N1 flu vaccine this week free of charge to students under the age of 24 who live on campus.

College students who live in campus dormitories have been designated as a high priority group by public health officials.  Schools with commuter students will start vaccine clinics December 14th.

There are some 65,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 enrolled in colleges and universities in the state.  The reason they are a high priority group is that the flu spreads quickly among college students.

The goal is to get them all vaccinated before the Christmas break when they will be traveling around the country.

Rhode Islanders between the ages of 18 and 24 who are not college students won’t be offered the vaccine until late December or January.

Additionally, school-based clinics will continue to be held as scheduled this week.

The state Department of Health said enough vaccine for every child between six-months and five-years of age will be available in pediatricians’ offices by the end of this week. [AP]