Cougar Health Services (CHS) has five Flu Shot Fridays planned next month on the Washington State University Pullman campus and strongly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to make an appointment to roll up their sleeves.
Flu shots will be given every Friday in October from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at either the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center or the Chinook Student Center. To help reduce waiting times and streamline the process, everyone must make an appointment before arriving at the site.
Faculty and staff can schedule an appointment for themselves and family members age 12 and older with Range Community Clinic; students should make their appointment through the CHS patient portal.
Preventing a ‘twindemic’
Influenza is a contagious disease that can be deadly, particularly for people with certain health conditions such as lung diseases, diabetes, and an impaired immune system, said CHS Registered Nurse Kim Burt. The best time to get vaccinated is in October to be protected for the arrival of flu season, which typically peaks between December and February. Once a person has received the shot, it takes up to two weeks for their body to build immunity.
The flu shot helps prevent people from getting seriously ill and needing to see a doctor, missing classes, and potentially spreading the virus to others. Burt said contrary to what some may have heard, the flu shot does not cause the flu.
“It’s especially important to get a flu shot this fall due to the fact that hospitals are getting full and are still dealing with COVID-19 patients,” she said. “Getting a flu shot can prevent people from getting really sick and taking up resources at the hospital.”
Alexander Maciejewski, clinical pharmacist with Range Community Clinic, said everyone should do their part to avoid what he calls a “twindemic,”a simultaneous outbreak of the flu and COVID-19 in the community.
“If you have never considered the flu shot before, this is the year to think about how it can help reduce the number of outbreaks in the community for both influenza and the coronavirus,” he said.
Faculty and staff who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 can request to receive a COVID shot when they make an appointment for the flu shot. Range Community Clinic will have a limited supply of the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. Students who still need a COVID-19 vaccine should schedule an appointment with CHS. Most insurance companies cover the full cost of both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
Look for the mobile unit
Cougar Health Services is excited to partner with Range Community Clinic, which will bring its mobile unit to Pullman for the Flu Shot Fridays. Range Community Clinic is a collaborative venture between the WSU Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, all located on the WSU Health Sciences campus in Spokane.
The clinic was created to help provide people in rural areas of Eastern Washington access to medical services. Maciejewski is pleased his team can assist CHS with administering flu shots, especially at a time when local health providers are stretched thin.
“This is a chance for Cougars to showcase what WSU is all about when it comes to preventing future outbreaks and pandemics,” Maciejewski said. “It’s our opportunity to champion this effort for the rest of the world.”
