By Satoko HasegawaStaff Writer
Students are busy preparing for holiday season, and many aregetting ready for flu season as well.
Starting today, Student Health Services is offering a Flu VaccineClinic from noon to 4 p.m. until Friday, Dec. 15 at the outside ofthe SHS building, located on Hardy Avenue.
“We try to get people immunized before they go home for Christmasand the winter session starts,” said Kimberly Elliott, SHSadministrative analyst.
Although the peak season of influenza is January to March, now isthe best time to be vaccinated to lower the risk of getting flu,Elliott said. Once a person gets a flu vaccine, it takes a couple ofweeks to build up immunity, she said.
This year, flu vaccine production was delayed about a month,primarily due to problems growing one of the virus strains that wasneeded for the vaccine, said SHS director Dr. Gregg Lichtenstein.Elliott said SHS normally gives more than a thousand shots per year.
Elliott said because of the small quantities of the vaccineavailable at this time, there is a chance the vaccine will run outbefore the clinic ends. However, SHS is continuously receivingshipments of the vaccine from manufacturers, Elliott said.
People who cannot get the flu vaccine during the clinic this week,can receive the vaccine during regular clinic hours, she said. SHS isopen Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdaythrough Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
According to the California Department of Health Services, anestimated 2,000 Californians die of influenza and relatedcomplications each year. Flu vaccines prevent illness in up to 90percent of healthy individuals under 65 years old.
The U.S. Public Health Service recommends the flu vaccination forpeople who have a high risk of hospitalization and complications fromflu.
High risk people include all seniors, individuals with seriouslong-term health problems such as heart or lung disease, diabetes,kidney disease, asthma or a weakened immune system.
Household members of high-risk people and women who will be morethan three months pregnant during the influenza season are alsorecommended to get a flu shot.
On the other hand, individuals who have a severe allergic reactionto eggs and/or with acute illness associated with fever should not beimmunized.
According to the California Department of Health Services, somesymptoms of the flu are abrupt onset of fever, muscle aches, sorethroat and cough. The flu keeps patients in bed for several days.
Journalism senior Paul Gable said he takes a thousand milligramsof Vitamin C pills every day to keep colds away. Gable said his70-year old mother waited about two months to get a flu shot thisyear.
Registered nurse of SHS Mattie Allen said the best way to preventgetting the flu is to say in good health.
“Eat right, sleep right, do exercise and take care of your body,”Allen said. “Also, stay away from sick people.”
The clinic is open to faculty, staff and students and costs $5.Students must bring their SDSU ID, and appointments are notnecessary.
For more information about Flu Vaccine Clinic, call Student HealthServices at 594-4325. During winter session, SHS will be open until4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
