As the leaves fall from their trees in a flurry of orange and red and the autumn air slowly grows colder, flu season begins, causing students to reach for their jackets, the nearest box of tissues and a heaping bowl of chicken noodle soup.
But to avoid a cocktail of pills and other various cold remedies, students only need to make a short trip to the nearest clinic for their free flu vaccination.
Last year alone, hundreds of students and those in the surrounding community suffered from influenza or other flu-like symptoms during the winter months. It takes five to seven days to recover from and often ensures that those infected have a miserable week, according to Wellness Education Services.
Beginning Tuesday, the Student Wellness Team will offer seasonal influenza vaccinations to students with a valid UB card for no cost. Faculty and staff are also eligible for vaccinations, but must pay $20.
The team set up their South Campus clinic at the Biomedical Education Building on Tuesday, offering vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Students who are unable to arrive at the South Campus clinic in the allotted time shouldn't fret. A clinic will be set up on North Campus in the Student Union Social Hall, offering vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
'The outbreaks can be bad and if students want to avoid missing a lot of classes, it's worth getting [the flu vaccination] because the flu hits all of the sudden and then you're out of commission and you're too sick to go to class,' said Amy Kimmins, a registered nurse from Student Health and Wellness Services.
However, vaccinations will be administered on a first come-first serve basis and the clinics may close early due to vaccination availability. Instead of catching extra shuteye, students should arrive to the clinics early to avoid a debilitating week of sneezing, coughing and high fevers.
After traveling to their clinic of choice, students can enter the vaccination line until 3 p.m. after completing screening forms to determine their eligibility for injection.
However, students with egg allergies should not receive the vaccination because the vaccine itself is cultivated and grown in an egg product, Kimmins warned. Those with an allergy to Thimerosal, a chemical preservative, and anyone with a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome are also ineligible for the vaccination.
There are mild side effects associated with the injection including minor arm tenderness and body aches. However, Kimmins believes that when compared to other shots, the flu vaccination is not as painful, apart form the quick prick of the needle.
Once administered the vaccination, students will be sent on their way to their next class and hopefully a healthier fall and winter season. After one to two weeks, the vaccination will become effective and begin to provide protection.
However, if students begin to develop flu-like symptoms at a rapid pace, there are ways to help.
'Tamiflu, the [medicine] that everyone wants, is reserved for people with serious medical conditions,' Kimmins said. 'Others need to just take medicine to relieve their symptoms, like Tylenol to relieve body aches, and need to drink a lot of fluids and stay away from everyone else.'
Kimmins also advises students who feel ill to stay isolated and avoid the health center, unless they have a serious underlying medical condition, in order to avoid contamination of other students.
The flu vaccination will not protect students against the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, as the flu and swine flu are of different viral strains.
Health Services has requested an H1N1 vaccination to arrive sometime in mid-October that will be available without cost for students ages 24 and under.
Kimmins is unsure how much of the vaccine will be available and advises students to sign up in advance for the vaccination. For more information, students can call Health Services at 829-3316 or visit their Web site, which can be found via the MyUB interface.
Kimmins acknowledges that most people are worried about H1N1, but feels that it will not have too many negative effects.
'The swine flu for most people will be just like the regular flu,' Kimmins said. 'Many people might have it but might not know it. There's a risk for people with underlying medical conditions like asthma, heart disease and pregnancy.'
The flu virus mutates each year, causing the previous vaccination to be ineffective. Therefore, students should remain courageous and continue to be vaccinated every year to stay flu free.
E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com
