It’s that time of year ...
When the flu grips campus, it leaves many in fear, wondering whether they should have gotten the flu shot. Some may have avoided it because of all the myths and misinformation out there, while others may simply believe the vaccine is unimportant.
The Collegiate Times spoke with Dr. Kanitta Charoensiri, an osteopathic physician at Schiffert Health Center to set the record straight about the flu vaccine.
Collegiate Times: Why is it important to get a flu shot?
Dr. Kanitta Charoensiri: It helps prevent people from having serious complications that can result from the flu. There are those who may still come down with the flu, but the impact is less, since it’s a milder version.
CT: Should you get a flu shot every year, and can you skip years between flu shots?
Charoensiri: Flu shots aren’t like childhood vaccines where you get a series and then you are done. Flu shots are necessary every year. The strains are evaluated, and the vaccine changes from year to year.
CT: When is the peak of flu season?
Charoensiri: We usually see the peak in February, this month. But this is not a typical flu season.
CT: If you haven’t caught the flu by now, is it worth getting vaccinated?
Charoensiri: Probably. The flu season is a little bit later because of the weather. It’s a pretty mild winter, but the flu is still out there — it’s just not as much as what we would see in a typical winter.
CT: Are college students at high risk for the catching the flu?
Charoensiri: The risk is that college students tend to live in residence halls, which have close quarters, and that causes the spread of respiratory illnesses quite quickly.
CT: What are some tips for staying healthy during the flu season?
Charoensiri: The recommendation is to stay away from people who are sick, wash your hands and cover your cough — either cough into a tissue and dispose of it, or cough into your sleeve. Don’t share drinks with other people, stay hydrated and get enough sleep.
CT: Is the flu shot still available at the Schiffert Health Center?
Charoensiri: We don’t have anymore because our clinics (ran out) last year, but they are still available in all of the pharmacies in the community and at the Health Department.
A version of this article appeared in the Feb 17 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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But the latest studies have found that flu jabs only protect 1.5 people out of 100, the swine flu vaccine did nothing to prevent swine flu and in fact made them more susceptable to other forms of flu, and that victims of the swine flu vaccine side effects are being compensated in Finland. These are facts not myths. Why don't you doctors stop the marketing and stick to the real scientific facts? Many of you refuse to take the flu vaccine yourselves after all.
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