Mac Students Fight the Flu - MacInsiders - Student-run McMaster University Help Forum

11-26-2007 at 08:33 PM

Mac Students Fight the Flu
Written by Michelle Bitran

November heralds the onset of crisp winter weather, anticipation for the sweet horizon that is Christmas break, and somewhat less excitingly—flu season. McMaster students proved that they took this health threat to heart when they arrived in impressive numbers to the campus Health and Wellness Centre’s annual flu shot clinic held last week in the Student Centre.

“Our student body is excellent, they’re being proactive,” said Rosanne Kent, the Nurse Manager overseeing this year’s clinic. On the second out of three days, the clinic had already seen upwards of six hundred students eager to protect themselves from the vicious flu virus.

Though at its best the vaccine is only 70-90% effective in preventing the flu, it is still the foremost flu-prevention method available to us.

Kent stressed the importance of students taking this preventative measure, particularly for those living in residence who are in constant close proximity to many other people.

“Age is not a criteria,” said Kent of students who felt their youth was enough to scare away the nasty virus. Actually, the fact sheet dispensed at the clinic listed very few people who should be avoiding the vaccination, the major criteria being an allergy to one of the ingredients in the shot.

Those who were nervous about possible side effects from the shot were able to put their minds at ease in the comfortable environment of the clinic. Students were asked to wait for 10 minutes after the injection just in case their bodies reacted unexpectedly to the vaccine. “Some people do get reactions, but so far we haven’t had any problems,” said Kent.

In general, these reactions are limited to Tylenol-treatable symptoms that last only up to two days after the shot (anything more serious than that should go straight to the doctor!). Not a bad trade for season-long flu protection, especially since the likelihood of developing these symptoms is slim to none.

As McMaster students bundle up to face the freezing winter to come, those who got their free flu shots will have one less worry on their minds. After all, it’s a relief to know that while you will be pulling all-nighters to get through the treachery of exams, at least you won’t have to spend those nights going through box after box of Kleenex and battling a high fever without so much as Mom’s chicken soup to get you through it all.