As the weather starts to get colder, the AU community will be mobilized on all levels in order keep as many people as healthy as possible during the impending flu season.
Medical Director David Reitman said that the Student Health Center received a shipment of 2,000 flu vaccines by late September to distribute for free and ran flu drives from Oct. 13-17 at the Mary Graydon Center and other locations across campus.
“Our goal is to get as many people vaccinated as possible, but it’s never as good as we would like it to be,” Reitman said. “Last year only 1,200 people came to get vaccinated, and we had a lot of shots left over. This year we hope to get more people to get the vaccine.”
While the Student Health Center offers the flu shot for free, students can also get the shot at home with their regular doctor or even at the clinic in CVS. It takes two weeks between getting vaccinated and becoming immune, so the Student Health Center’s early October flu drives will ensure students are prepared before the flu hits campus, which is typically in early December. The Student Health Center will also be leading a campaign to promote health-conducive habits along with the Student Wellness Center. Their efforts encourage that simple behaviors like hand-washing, covering coughs, keeping hands away from the face, staying hydrated, eating well and getting enough sleep go a long way in allowing the immune system to function properly.
“With people living in crowded areas, it is definitely easier of disease to spread,” Reitman said. “We want to emphasize to students that if they’re really sick, don’t go out to class or don’t go to [the Terrace Dining Room]. If one person goes to TDR with the flu and sneezes a few times, then everyone else there can easily catch the flu as well.”
With the arrival of the largest freshman class in memory this fall, many students find themselves living in tight quarters -- approximately 45 percent of the class of 2018 is living in temporary triples as of, according to an article previously published by The Eagle.
Lisa Freeman, the director of residence life, said that Housing and Dining works closely with the Student Health Center to make sure students are aware of all of the resources available to them.
In the coming weeks, students will receive a nurse advice card with its hotline, a thermometer and additional urgent care numbers in case of emergency, Freeman said in an email.
Staying healthy is also a community-based effort, Keesha Ceran, the resident director of Letts, Clark, and Roper Halls, said.
Housing and Dining will soon be issuing flyers that provide details about getting a flu shot on campus, noting how it is everyone’s personal responsibility to get it done themselves.
“From the hwousing side of the issue of getting sick, we make sure that everyone is doing their part to keep themselves and the rest of their community healthy,” Ceran said.
