The Center for Disease and Control Prevention estimates that the flu has killed 3,000 to 49,000 people from 1976 to 2007. The City of Long Beach Health Department and Cal State Long Beach’s Student Health Services are attempting to lower those numbers.
The Long Beach Health Department teamed up with the CSULB nursing department and the American Red Cross to provide students with free flu vaccines Wednesday near the University Bookstore.
Flu season tends to begin as early as October, so the CDC suggests that people get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine becomes available, since it can take up to two weeks for the antibodies in the vaccination to activate.
“For [young college students, getting the flu is] no big deal. You’ll be fine, you can recover in five days or so, but you may have lost work time and school time – which doesn’t benefit you in any way shape or form – so we want to keep you healthy,” said Health Resources Center coordinator Heidi Girling. “Of course, with the public health approach, if you don’t get the flu, you prevent your family and friends from getting it.”
The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine every season for the best protection against the virus, as the body stops responding to the vaccination over time. The virus also tends to change each season and new vaccines are made in order to keep up.
The vaccination clinics have been happening once a week since Oct. 17. Within the first two weeks, 1,109 vaccinations were administered.
“Our goal is to prevent the flu,” said Girling. “[We understand] that the flu is very serious for some people. People with asthma, people with chronic diseases like diabetes. If they get the flu, it can be really serious.”
The next and final flu clinic will be Nov. 17 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. next to the University Bookstore.
Students who were not able to receive the shot on these days can go to the Student Health Center on campus and pay $5 for it. Appointments are encouraged, but students can walk in as well.