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  Student Health Services will hold flu vaccine clinics next week for faculty, staff and students.

By SUE WUETCHER

Published: Nov. 1, 2012

There may be no bird flu or H1N1 crisis looming this coming flu season, but it’s still important that UB faculty, staff and students get a flu shot.

“The more individuals at UB who get vaccinated, the less flu can spread in our community,” says Susan Snyder, director of student health services.

Snyder says Student Health Services follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines related to influenza prevention and vaccination: Everyone age 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every year.

“Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently,” she notes. “Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others.

“We encourage students, faculty and staff to obtain an annual flu shot at our clinics, at their medical providers’ office, at a retail pharmacy or at a community-based, flu-shot clinic.”

UB will hold flu vaccine clinics on Nov. 6 and 7 in the Student Union Social Hall, North Campus, and on Nov. 8 and 9 in the lobby of the Biomedical Education Building on the South Campus. All clinics are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vaccine is administered on a first-come-first-served basis.

Flu vaccines are $20 (payable by cash or check only) to faculty and staff with UB ID; vaccines are free to UB students with valid UB photo ID.

Snyder says the vaccine protects against the three flu viruses research indicates will cause the most illness during the upcoming season. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu.

In the U.S., flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May. During this time, flu viruses are circulating in the population.

“An annual seasonal flu vaccine—either the flu shot or the nasal-spray flu vaccine—is the best way to reduce the chances that you will get seasonal flu and lessen the chance that you will spread it to others,” she says.

Snyder says that in combination with an annual flu shot, there are a number of simple things individuals can do every day to stop the spread of germs:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

For more information on the flu, visit the Student Health Services website.