All you need to know about avoiding the fluBy Magdalene CastroFlu season has just hit, as many students already know. This fall, for the first time ever, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending a flu shot for everyone over six years old. National officials don’t want a repeat of last year’s global flu epidemic. The new vaccine protects against three flu strains, including the seasonal flu and the deadly H1N1.If you’ve got an extra $30, you can get vaccinated around the city at most pharmacies. The smarter option? Get the shot free at the CCNY Wellness and Counseling Center. Last season year, even as H1N1 wreaked havoc on college campuses around the country, CCNY never received our allotment of vaccines. That won’t happen again, according to the Center.''We will be getting the vaccines in on the 28th and I am very excited,'' says nurse Amparo Mateu from the Wellness Center. ''Especially because we didn't get them last year. I don't know why but he just didn't. So I'm glad we're getting them this year.''Some students are just as excited to get protected.“It bothers me that people sneeze and cough without covering their mouths, and I don't want to catch anything,'' says Marciela Magana, a 19-year-old undecided major. ''I want to get the flu shot as soon as it gets here because I don't want to get sick and they're free and will probably run out quickly.''Other students remain skeptical about the vaccine. ''My mom got the flu shot once and then she got the flu. I never got a flu shot and don't intend on getting it now,'' says Clara Thomas, 19, a biology major. ''I just watch my hands often, use hand sanitizer, drink a lot of orange juice and try to stay away from sick people.''Even if you're like Thomas and decide not to get the shot, you can still lower your risk of getting sick—or spreading colds and flu to others.
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.
- Cough and sneeze into the crook of your arm.
- Carry hand sanitizer or use the dispensers around campus.
- Keep your body healthy by eating right, sleeping well and taking vitamin C supplements.
If you choose to get the flu vaccine, they’ll be available starting Thursday October 28th at the Wellness and Counseling Center located in Marshak.“I was considering going somewhere else and paying to get the flu shot, because I think I’m getting sick, but I’ll wait two more weeks until we get them in,” says Lisa Valdez, 19, a psychology major. “They’re free anyway and will be here soon.”