Yup. It’s that time of year again. People have started coughing and sneezing from something other than allergies. And this weird weather we’ve been having lately hasn’t been helping at all.
Image via Citizens Times
But! Health services is here to help. This year they will be giving flu shots for FREE to students! All you have to do is walk up to one of the Health Services Staff members who will be stationed in Servo and Bullet on Wednesdays from 11:30 to 1 during October. If you can’t make it during those times then you can also make an appointment by stopping by the Health Center or calling (717) 331-6970.
Now we get to the hardest part of this discussion. There are probably some people now asking themselves, “So what?” or “I don’t need that.”
Here’s the thing: vaccinations are good. What you do is your prerogative, but I’m going to have to implore you to get vaccinated this flu season.
Every year, we get an outbreak of the flu on campus. The flu shot won’t necessarily prevent this, but it will help. If everyone who can gets vaccinated, then we’ll have this thing called herd immunity. This will help prevent outbreaks of disease since the disease won’t be able to be as easily transferred from person to person. In addition, herd immunity helps protect those people who cannot get the vaccine.
Image via Times of San Diego
According to the CDC, it is still possible to get sick from the flu even though you got the vaccine. This is because you may have been exposed to the virus before the vaccine took effect or you were exposed to a different flu virus. Still, it has been shown that having the flu vaccine can help reduce the severity of this disease that normally can potentially lead to hospitalization or death.
In addition, many professionals have clarified that you cannot get sick from the vaccine itself. So you really have nothing to lose by getting the flu shot. It’s free and helps protect you. Of course, it’s still no substitute for washing your hands and practicing preventive hygiene in general.
If you are someone who is afraid of needles or pain, then don’t worry! The shot does not require a long needle and only feels like a small poke with a pin. The worst you might feel is a bit of lingering soreness in your arm for a few hours. Just remember to get it soon because it takes two weeks to take effect.
So what are you waiting for? Get your flu shot to protect yourself and you community this flu season!
For more information, visit the CDC website.