Nurses at the Health and Wellness Center want everyone to get a flu shot. Now.

“The number of students who present for the flu vaccine is not what we hope it would be,” said Anita Yurek, RN, Staff Nurse.  

The flu shot usually costs $20 outside of the Center’s usual annual fee, but as an attempt to entice people to get their shots, the Center is offering it for $15 until Nov. 1, when it will return to its original price of $20. The average cost of a flu shot can range from $30 to $60, so the lower cost offered at the Center may be attractive to people who lack insurance coverage.  

The Center does not accept outside insurance because office visits are covered by the original student fee. However, nurses encourage people who have insurance to use it elsewhere if they can get a lower cost shot.  

The influenza virus can affect a person in such a way that they feel they can’t move, or get out bed for days Yurek said.

“I’ve heard  that you feel like you’ve been hit from a Mac truck,” she said.

“Who can miss three or four days of work?” 

Not only students, but also faculty are able to receive the influenza vaccine from the Wellness Center. Office staffers try their best to get word out about the vaccine’s availability.

“I hope they are getting their flu vaccine somewhere,” said Yurek.

Due to low turnouts in the past, the Center has ordered half of the amount of vaccine they have in the past, and nurses still fear they will have many vaccines left over, said Yurek.

Most students who receive the vaccine at the Center need it as requirement for work and study in the health care disciplines, among others.

Yurak said time is wasting, and delay can lead to a nasty bout of flu. 

“The best time to receive the flu vaccine is as soon as possible,” said Yurek. “If you haven’t gotten it yet, get it today!”