By: Kaitlin Wells, Staff Reporter
Autumn is arguably one of the most dynamic times of the year; it is a season known for pumpkin spice, sweater weather, and most importantly, the flu. According to Princeton University health services, colds and influenza are the most common illnesses among college students. So how can you protect yourself from catching the flu this year? The answer is easy, vaccination.
Being vaccinated is the most reliable way to keep you from getting sick this season. There are many benefits to vaccinating against the flu. The most important of benefit is that the shot reduces risk of contracting the illness, as well as the risk of being hospitalized. The CDC reports that being vaccinated reduces the risk of hospitalization between 40%-60%.
There are many different strains of the influenza virus. Although the flu shot does not protect against all of them, it will defend against several strains that have come up in the past. Most flu shots are what we call trivalentmeaning that they provide immunity to three strains of the virus. Other versions of the immunization are quadrivalent, meaning they protect against four strains of the virus. It is important to be vaccinated for influenza because the symptoms do not usually present themselves until a few days after contracted. This means that someone can unknowingly pass on the flu to you before they even realize that they are sick themselves.
Luckily, Regis is providing a solution for your vaccination dilemma. Don’t wait until after you get sick to act! Protect yourself from influenza this year by visiting the health services offices on campus! Our student health services can help you get set up to tackle the sicknesses of the year, so swing by and snag a shot!