The John C. Longest Student Health Center is offering vaccinations to help prevent students and faculty from getting the flu.
University Health Services Executive Director Dr. Cliff Story advises everyone to get the flu shot because of serious complications the illness can cause.
“The flu is a pretty contagious virus, and once it starts making its way into the community, it can spread really rapidly,” Story said. “It is still a cause of death nationwide and worldwide. Most people don’t die from it and don’t get terribly sick, but definitely people can die from the flu.”
While October is not a prime time for the prevalence of influenza, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people receive the vaccine by the end of October. Registered Nurse Nancy Ball said the vaccination needs time to build immunity.
“It takes the flu shot about two weeks to build up the immunity, so (students and faculty) need to go ahead and get it,” Ball said. “It lasts about six months, so it should cover them through the end of March.”
These vaccination clinics are held every Tuesday throughout October from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the health center’s conference room on the third floor. Only patients who have health insurance may get their flu vaccinations at the scheduled clinics.
For patients without health insurance, there will be a separate clinic on Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Mitchell Memorial Library. There is a vaccination fee of $25, which can be paid with either by check or cash.
According to Ball, there were 185 vaccinations completed at the first vaccination clinic this month, and the numbers thus far have been similar.
Due to the close proximity of students and faculty members on campus, Story said he believes students should get the shot to avoid the strenuous consequences from being ill.
“Just being sick for two or three days, I would think for most students would be sort of problematic to miss two or three days of school around test time,” Story said. “Often, it may hit around finals or midterms. Making up that work or getting critical studying done might be more difficult when having the flu.”
Along with missing classes, Story said he believes others should be considerate and get this vaccine to help those who have a suppressed immune system.
For senior electrical engineering major Logan Daniel, avoiding the flu is crucial, so he gets the influenza vaccination yearly.
“I have cystic fibrosis, which is a lung genetic disorder,” Daniel said. “I already have a weakened immune system, so any help I can get that may help prevent something like the flu is good for me.”
Along with getting the flu shot, people can take extra precautions to help avoid being infected by this influenza.
Ball said students and faculty need to ensure they are coughing and sneezing into their arms instead of their hands, not drinking after someone else and washing their hands frequently.
According to Story, taking basic hygienic measures will help lower the risk of becoming ill with the flu; however, the flu shot should be administered to help students and faculty avoid missing class and getting others sick.
There are two clinics left at the student health center for patients with insurance, on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30.
OCH Regional Medical Center will also provide free flu vaccinations Oct. 20 from 8 to 10 a.m. in the OCH Community Room. They will provide up to 50 shots.
OCH Infection Control Manager and Registered Nurse Savannah Brown said in a press release getting the flu vaccine is important because it can prevent major health issues.
“Now is the time to act on prevention,” said Brown. “An estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter, and that’s an alarming number of deaths. We urge those who are hesitant to get the flu shot to remember it’s not only about protecting themselves but also about preventing the more vulnerable, such as the very young and elderly patients, from contracting the flu.”
Brown said although the flu shot will not cause the flu, some people do experience soreness or redness at the injection site, may have a slight fever or minor muscle aches. A severe egg allergy can be a contraindication for the vaccine, so those with egg allergies should speak to their physicians prior to coming for vaccination. An egg-free version of the vaccine is available for those 18 years and older, and OCH will have some available for people who require them. People with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome should not receive the vaccine, Brown said.
“It is important to note that a person can still obtain a different strain of the flu than what the vaccine contains,” Brown said. “The vaccine mainly protects against the most common strains predicted for the year, but even if the shot does not specifically prevent the strain of the flu we see this year, it can still provide some protection and decrease symptoms and severity of any flu contracted.”
At the OCH clinic, vaccines will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be a small supply of high-dose vaccines for the public as well. The high-dose vaccine is recommended for those 65 years of age and older. For more information about this clinic, call the OCH Infection Control Department at 662-615-2820.