With the emergence of fall, so comes the flu. Ball State University students soon will have the opportunity to receive their flu shots at the Amelia T. Wood Health Center.
"We will be sending out e-mails soon telling students when we're going to have flu clinics," Kent Bullis, Health Center medical director, said. "The students will be able to just walk into the pharmacy to get their shot. It takes about ten minutes, and then they'll be on their way."
The mass e-mail will notify everyone on campus of the exact times and location of the clinic.
"I haven't had the flu in a really long time, so getting the shot never really crossed my mind," Kelly Ryal, sophomore elementary education major, said.
Bullis said for the last six or seven years, about 500 to 800 students each flu season have taken advantage of the shots given on campus.
"I've gotten the shot before, and it was really convenient to have it offered on campus," Stephanie Hagerty, senior interior design major, said. "I just went into the Health Center, signed a paper and got the shot."
Last year, two types of vaccines circulated through the country.
"The second wave was different than what was in the flu shot, and we predicted the wrong strain," Bullis said. "Every year we predict what strain North America has, and then we match what strain might be circulating, Over the past 11 years, half the time the wrong strain is predicted."
Even if a vaccination for the wrong strain is issued, patients will still benefit from getting the shot.
"The flu shot works 90 percent of the time," Bullis said. "There's always that chance that it won't work. On those occasions, most people don't get sick at all, and some people just get mildly sick."
Ball Memorial Hospital will also offer flu shots starting this month, Carol Keihn, instructor of nursing, said.
"I want all of the nursing students to get them," Keihn said. "Anybody that's in health care at all should get one because it's so easy for viruses to spread. The nursing students have to go through some other shots before they go into the clinical setting. I would be in favor of making the flu shot a requirement."
Some might worry about the price, but Keihn said students can find affordable options.
"A lot of places of employment will pay for their employees to get the shot for free," Keihn said. "Most shots run between $60 to $80, so paying $17 at the Health Center is a good price."
Each student can weigh the option of getting the shot, and some take advantage of the opportunity.
"If I have time I'll get one," Kelsey Steiner, freshman exercise science major, said. "I think the flu shots are a good thing."
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