Aja Swayne and Derrick Walton
Staff Writers
The Jackson State University Student Health Center is now providing flu shots to prevent the dreaded influenza virus on campus.
Students, faculty and staff can obtain the flu shot $25. The cost can be applied to student fees for students enrolled for the current semester. Faculty and staff can have the cost deducted from their payroll. Priority will be given to those who are members of the health plan, due to the limited number of vaccines available.
“The influenza virus is contracted by inhaling tiny droplets in the air that contain the flu virus. These droplets usually come from another infected person through coughing, sneezing or hand contamination. Frequent and close contact with surfaces that harbor the virus is also a way of getting the virus into one’s respiratory system i.e. by hands to face contact,” said Dr. Samuel Jones, Director of Health Services at JSU.
He added: “While the late fall and winter months are associated with more cases of the flu, influenza can occur at any time during the year. Presumptive evidence is that large outbreaks of the flu occur during the colder months because people are in closer contact with each other during these months, and they are restricted to more confined spaces.”
The flu vaccine will protect against the three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the season. This includes the influenza H1N1 virus, influenza H3N2 virus, and an influenza B virus.
College students are cautioned to be extremely careful because of all the shared space in dormitories, classrooms, public bathrooms, cafeterias, and social events, where the flu can be spread easily among your peers.
“I feel like it’s a great idea and opportunity for students to be offered flu shots on campus. It’s all around efficient for students. No travel, no high cost, just go,” said Berry Nailer Jr., a senior political science major from Shaw, Miss.”
Many feel that students should take advantage of the vaccine to prevent an outbreak on campus.
“The flu is very serious to me,” said Olujade Oluade, a freshman computer science from Jackson, Miss. “When someone gets sick with the flu it affects not only that person but the people around because it is contagious and not very pleasant.”
However, not all students plan on getting the flu shot.
“Personally, I never had the flu shot and I don’t intend to get it. I wouldn’t want the shot because most times you can catch the flu afterwards,” said Manisha Heard, a senior mass communications major from Bolton, Miss.
Carl Jackson II, a senior sociology major from Port Gibson, Miss. agreed with Heard.
“I believe the flu shot tends to increase your chances of getting the flu,” said Jackson.
Dr. Jones wants those considering getting the vaccine to understand that the flu shot works by stimulating a person’s immune system to attack certain strains of the flu virus and while it does contain some of the actual flu virus particles, there is not enough to cause serious illness.
“However, enough of the virus particles are in the shot to “trick” the body’s immune system into developing antibodies to the flu. Another way of thinking about it is that giving the flu shot is like giving a person a mild version of the flu. That’s why persons who get the shot become a little ill after getting it. However, the illness is not severe but this mild illness causes the body’s immune system to build up natural infection fighting particles in the blood stream. These circulating particles are what protects one from certain types of flu viruses in the future. Basically, all immunizations work this way, all your childhood shots, tetanus etc,” said Dr. Jones.
For those who do contract the flue, Dr. Jones recommends strict bed rest, drinking clear liquids and taking Tylenol for fever and aches.
“Finally, watch for signs of serious complications of the flu like pneumonia or tonsillitis. These complications require antibiotics to be prescribed by a doctor. It was complications like these that caused thousands of deaths from flu to occur in the days before antibiotics were discovered,” said Dr. Jones.
For more information on the flu shot, call (601)979-2260 or visit the Student Health Center Monday through Friday between the hours of 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon and 3-4 p.m.
