Spring Break
Flu Clinic Protects Students
Shawn Beals
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: News
The annual Student Health Services (SHS) flu vaccination clinic for students and staff will provide 2,000 doses of the vaccine to help protect the community protect from the highly contagious virus.
The clinic will be held on Oct. 26 and 27 in the Wilbur Cross South Reading Room from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to Kathleen Sanner, SHS nurse coordinator.
Vaccinations are available to all university students and staff, and each vaccine costs $20, payable by cash, check or a fee bill charge for students, according to Sanner. A university ID card must be presented at the clinic.
Influenza is treatable with the vaccine or antiviral drugs, according to WebMD.com. It is a contagious respiratory illness that can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia because it affects the lungs and respiratory system.
Those who are most susceptible to the flu virus are children under two, adults over 50, and women who are pregnant during the flu season, according to WebMD.com. Symptoms include fever, aches and pains, fatigue and common cold symptoms like sneezing and congestion.
Some students do not feel the need to get a flu shot because that age group is among the most resistant to contracting the flu.
"It would be better if you got a flu shot, but you don't have to if you think you are healthy enough," said J. Brian Yoon, a 7th-semester finance major.
Greg Betz, a 7th-semester psychology major said he doesn't feel the need to get it either.
"There's a lot of other people who probably need it more than we do because we're a young, healthy population," Betz said.
Last year, all 2,000 doses were given, and Sanner expects the same turnout this year.
"Some years we use it all and some years we have some left over," Sanner said. "The vaccination changes every year based on last year's strain."
The vaccinations were ordered from Aventis, Sanner said. Aventis is a leading European pharmaceutical company that operates around the world, according to the company's website. The doses cost more than $15 each and are not returnable, so SHS plans to use every one of them.
Getting plenty of rest is important to a quick recovery from the flu virus, and frequent hand washing is one easy way to protect against contracting the virus, according to WebMD.com. The flu vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the flu. There are two types; a shot and a newer nasal spray.
While it is possible to contract a different strain of the virus than the one given in the immunization, the flu shot does not contain the live virus, so it cannot give a person the flu.
The clinic will be held on Oct. 26 and 27 in the Wilbur Cross South Reading Room from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to Kathleen Sanner, SHS nurse coordinator.
Vaccinations are available to all university students and staff, and each vaccine costs $20, payable by cash, check or a fee bill charge for students, according to Sanner. A university ID card must be presented at the clinic.
Influenza is treatable with the vaccine or antiviral drugs, according to WebMD.com. It is a contagious respiratory illness that can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia because it affects the lungs and respiratory system.
Those who are most susceptible to the flu virus are children under two, adults over 50, and women who are pregnant during the flu season, according to WebMD.com. Symptoms include fever, aches and pains, fatigue and common cold symptoms like sneezing and congestion.
Some students do not feel the need to get a flu shot because that age group is among the most resistant to contracting the flu.
"It would be better if you got a flu shot, but you don't have to if you think you are healthy enough," said J. Brian Yoon, a 7th-semester finance major.
Greg Betz, a 7th-semester psychology major said he doesn't feel the need to get it either.
"There's a lot of other people who probably need it more than we do because we're a young, healthy population," Betz said.
Last year, all 2,000 doses were given, and Sanner expects the same turnout this year.
"Some years we use it all and some years we have some left over," Sanner said. "The vaccination changes every year based on last year's strain."
The vaccinations were ordered from Aventis, Sanner said. Aventis is a leading European pharmaceutical company that operates around the world, according to the company's website. The doses cost more than $15 each and are not returnable, so SHS plans to use every one of them.
Getting plenty of rest is important to a quick recovery from the flu virus, and frequent hand washing is one easy way to protect against contracting the virus, according to WebMD.com. The flu vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the flu. There are two types; a shot and a newer nasal spray.
While it is possible to contract a different strain of the virus than the one given in the immunization, the flu shot does not contain the live virus, so it cannot give a person the flu.
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