We have all seen the table on Driscoll Bridge and received emails notifying us of the importance of getting a flu shot. Flu season is upon us, and all DU students are entitled to a free flu shot as part of our Health and Counseling fee.

Given that flu shots are free and readily available to all students, getting the shot should be mandatory for all students. Although the supply of shots temporarily ran out, they are now back in stock.

We are all part of one community at DU; we all share the same door handles at Sturm, the same serving utensils at the dining halls and the same touchscreen to print out our assignments. During the flu season, these surfaces are prime spots for the transfer of the virus to other students.

Recognizing the fact that we all share the same facilities, chances are pretty high that if one student comes down with the flu, another may get infected as a result.

But the vaccine, which has been readily available on a variety of days on Driscoll Bridge since October, will bring the spreading of the flu virus to a halt.

While mandating the flu shot may sound a lot like Big Brother asserting his will, this situation is different.

The flu vaccine is offered completely free and takes no more than about three minutes, even with the single sheet of paperwork. As a community at DU, we have a responsibility to take care of our health and the health of everyone else. Exceptions would certainly be made for those with a known allergic reaction to the vaccine, but otherwise a mandate is reasonable. Mild flu-like symptoms may affect some people after the shot for a few hours.

Consider some statistics about the magnitude of the flu virus in the United States: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 5 to 20 percent of the population will contract the virus every year. That is 15.5 million to 62 million Americans annually. An estimated 200,000 are hospitalized every year for the virus and an estimated 36,000 lose their life to the flu each year.

This season, the flu has been especially potent. For the week ending on Jan. 12, the CDC classified the current flu outbreak in every state except Hawaii, Tennessee and the District of Columbia as “widespread,” the highest level in their five-tiered system. Indeed, the flu is making itself felt in America this year.

The CDC also reported that while new outbreaks have been slowing in January, the severity of new or existing cases is increasing as the death toll climbs more rapidly.

While it is true that college students are less susceptible to the flu than the elderly or young children, the point is clear: The flu is an extremely potent virus and anyone who has the opportunity to should be vaccinated against it.

Unlike high school, where we spend only about seven hours per day at school, a college campus is different. This is where students live 24/7, thus increasing the potential for transmission of germs.

In the name of the health of the DU community, require that everyone to take three minutes out of their schedule to get a free flu shot.