In the petri dish that is a school campus, once one person is sick, that sickness spreads rapidly. NC State is providing preventative measures to defend students from the flu, but this only works if everyone participates. Students need to get their shots each year to effectively battle the flu, and it’s imperative that students act soon.
NC State has made it as effortless as possible for students to get their vaccine. The flu vaccination is free for students with the insurances Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, Student Blue, Tricare and United Healthcare. Students with another insurance or no insurance pay a fee of $25. The vaccinations are offered in various locations around campus at different times and different days. You can schedule an appointment at the health center if you want to fit it in at an exact time, or you can come in at one of the walk-in hours.
In an effort to get students more motivated to get their flu shot, NC State is competing in the Alana’s Foundation College & University Flu Vaccination Challenge. Within this challenge to further encourage students, another contest has been started with NC State’s oldest rival, UNC. The health center of the school which gets the least amount of vaccines needs to take a photo dressed in the rival school’s color.
As fun as these competitions are, it seems ridiculous that a competition is necessary to convince students to do something that is in their best interests.
Getting sick can sometimes mean missing class. It happens to everybody, and it’s usually okay, but a severe illness like the flu can cause multiple missed days of class. Depending on the class, this means make-up work, missed notes and possible missed quizzes and tests. Some students still go to class while they’re sick rather than face all the make-up work, which only proceeds to infect other classmates. It’s a vicious cycle, and could be reduced if students got their flu vaccine.
There is an added pressure to get flu vaccines for those who suffer from asthma. Those who have asthma have swollen and sensitive airways, and the flu can trigger extra inflammation. Even if asthmatics take medication, the flu can still trigger asthma attacks and worsening symptoms. The best way to protect themselves is through the flu shot.
It is important to get the flu shot each year, because the strain of the virus changes each season. Students should get their shots sooner rather than later, because the immunity sets in about two weeks after administration. For students afraid of needles, there is once again an option to take the nasal spray instead. Just make sure you contact the site ahead of time to ensure they are offering the spray.
Nevertheless, there is still an irrational suspicion surrounding the legitimacy of vaccines today. In the late ‘90s there was a widespread belief that vaccines caused autism. This was later proven to be false by various studies, but the damage was done. Millions of parents became uncomfortable giving their child a vaccine, and though not as prevalent today, there continues to be certain hesitation in getting vaccines. About one in ten Americans think that vaccines, such as flu and measles shots, are unsafe for children.
In order to fight this hesitation, NC State could easily require students to get a flu shot. All of the students who attend NC State have had a minimum level of vaccines before they arrived on campus. New students are required to be up to date with certain immunizations. NC State has already succeeded in having students get similar vaccines before. Why not add the flu shot to this list?
NC State has done nearly everything possible to encourage students to get their flu shot. Students need to take the initiative to look after their own and their classmates’ health. The process is easy, free and fast. Walk into the health center today and help NC State beat this flu season — and Chapel Hill while we’re at it.