The Medical and Counseling Care Center is offering flu shots to students, faculty and staff.
ACU has been offering flu shots to students, faculty, staff and their dependents for eight years. The Care Center has relocated to the southwest corner of the Royce and Pam Money Recreation and Wellness Center.
All people six months of age and older should get flu vaccines. According to the Vaccine Information Statement of the Department of Health and Human Services. Each person needs one dose of influenza vaccine each year. A person can be infected with influenza any time of the year, but cases mostly occur from October through May.
People with the following conditions should wait to have vaccines: those who have any severe allergies, severe reactions after a dose of influenza vaccine, those who ever had Guillain-Barre Syndrome and people who are moderately or severely ill. However, people with a mild illness can usually get the vaccine.
Mireya Reyes, sophomore marketing major from Monahans, got a flu shot at the Care Center about three weeks ago.
“I had mild flu at that time and it was getting worse,” Reyes said. “My mother is a nurse, and she suggested me to get a flu shot. I think the shot helped me recover sooner.”
As much as the vaccines can help people, they could possibly cause serious problems too, according to the Vaccine Information Statement. Some mild syndromes, including soreness, headache and fatigue, last about one or two days after the shot. But the vaccine can increase risk for seizures caused by fever, and, under certain circumstances, it can cause life-threatening problems.
Sandy Razafinjoelina, junior business management major from Madagascar, had a flu shot on campus at ACU. She experienced some mild reactions, like running nose and fatigue, but recovered very soon. Wilson White, junior history major from Ozona, had a different story though.
“I don’t believe in flu shots,” White said. “I had one before, but it made me really sick.”
Students can go to the Care Center to be counseled by doctors before taking the shots. One flu vaccine costs $15. Students can also go to other local pharmacies to get vaccines.
