By By: Emily Trent
Staff Writer
With the flu season right around the corner, IU South Bend’s Health and Wellness Center is prepared to help students and faculty fight off the flu this season.
The Health and Wellness Center is offering “on the go” clinics from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Thursday during the month of October. You will be able to find on the go sites in the, Grill/Fireside in the Administration Building Oct. 3. In the Student Activity Center 221 and 223, Oct. 10, in Education and Arts 1100 and 1101, on Oct. 17, in Northside 018 East Lounge on Oct. 24 and Wiekamp DW 3001 Oct. 31.
Additional on the go sites will be held on Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, and Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the greenlawn with weather permitting and Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Library 301.
The Wellness Center is also offering walk-in flu shot clinics on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Beginning Oct. 1 they will also offer walk-ins 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Tuesdays in Vera Z. Dwyer Hall, 1960 Northside Blvd.
For students, the cost is $25 with a form of ID. For employees covered by an IU-sponsored medicalical plan there is no fee required with the presentation of a valid IU medical ID and a university ID number.
Katlyn Merz, a nursing student who was distributing the vaccines said, “The earlier the better it is to get your flu shot but it is never too late.”
Being on a college campus students are very prone to the illness. It can be hard to juggle school while battling the flu.
Teresa Dobrzykowski, APRN-BC serves as Coordinator of the RN BSN Program in the School of Nursing at IUSB, she talked about the effects of being a college students during flu season, “increased stress and sleep disruption can interfere with your immune system,” Dobrzykowski continued, “getting the flu doesn’t feel good and can take a week out and but if you’re a student that can’t afford a week out you should probably get your flu shot…remember to take care of yourself, the most important thing is to get sleep. It can be hard for students to rest when worrying about grades but it will help protect them and everyone around them if they get rest.”
With such a high stigma surrounding vaccines, especially the flu shot, the Health and Wellness Center staff wants it to be known that the flu vaccine they are offering is attenuated; meaning the virus is not live and will not give you the flu. If you experience any symptoms of a cold or flu it is most likely you were exposed to the virus before receiving your flu shot.
It takes two to three weeks for your body to develop immunity after you receive the flu shot. The center recommends getting the flu shot if you have anyone in the home that has a serious illness, the vaccine will help protect them from the virus.
The staff recommends getting the vaccine in your most dominant arm that way throughout the day you are able to work out the stiffness and soreness that can come with getting the vaccine. Some other local side effects that could happen on site, swelling, itching and burning of the area and you could possibly run a low grade fever.
Other precautions you can take to stay healthy after receiving your flu shot were offered by nursing students of the Vera Z. Dwyer College of Health Sciences, making sure you are getting enough vitamin C, eating nutritious foods, getting rest and overall washing your hands throughout the day will help you stay healthy this season.
The goal for the center is to make students aware of the vaccine and help everyone on campus stay healthy throughout the season.
Feel free to contact the Health and Wellness Center at healthcenter.iusb.edu with any further questions.
