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A clinic with free flu shots for faculty and staff provided by the Eastern Health Education Resource Center, HERC, will be held on October 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the South Quad.
HERC’s annual flu clinic will provide a limited number of free flu shots to students and staff.
The flu clinic will be held at the South Quad, unless it rains, and then it will be moved to the University Ballroom.
Students and teachers will need to bring their Panther card.
The clinic has a limited number of flu shots, around 700 to 800, so it will be on a first come, first served basis. The earlier students and faculty arrive, the better their chances of getting there before the clinic runs out of flu shots.
Lindsey Carlson, Graduate Assistant and Communication and Health Promotion Coordinator at HERC, said, “We definitely encourage students to get out as soon as possible. “
In addition to the upcoming flu clinic, HERC is also in charge of COVID-19 testing and provides weekly COVID-19 vaccinations available every Tuesday at the medical clinic.
“They ask you to call ahead and make an appointment for the COVID vaccine,” Carlson said.
Carlson said anyone who isn’t interested in getting a flu shot or doesn’t think flu season is something to fear should reassess those beliefs.
“[The vaccine] is something that has very minimal risks, very minimal side effects. And if there are any symptoms, they go away within a few days, ”Carlson said. “The flu is always a very annoying type of virus, and it can potentially turn into something serious. So the flu shot, because it has been proven to be safe and effective for so many decades, is definitely something that we encourage students and faculty to do if they want to.
According to the CDC, some answers to misconceptions and common questions about the flu include:
Can getting the flu shot give you the flu?
No, you cannot get the flu from the vaccine. Vaccines given in the form of needles are made from viruses that are already dead, so they cannot spread the virus.
Wouldn’t it be better to risk getting sick than to get vaccinated?
No, the flu can easily turn into a serious illness that compromises the immune system. Especially for young children, the elderly and people who are already immunocompromised.
Do people have to get the flu shot every year?
Yes, if someone does not get the flu shot regularly, their immune system will weaken against the flu over time.
Discussing what last year looked like compared to a typical year, Carlson said: “Last year COVID was a priority, now we’re back and able to give presentations to people, able to do making speeches and doing a lot of things we couldn’t do in the past. Much like the flu clinic itself, this is now a walk-in service rather than a drive-thru . “
The 2021 health fair hosted by HERC this fall has been postponed to the spring semester of 2022.
However, HERC plans to have a successful influenza clinic, especially now that it has partially returned to normal.
Madelyn Kidd can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]
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