DU is requiring all of its students to get vaccinated against the flu during this school year. This is a smart idea, as the new requirement will assure the safety of the students and coms with plenty of benefits.
The benefits of getting a flu shot cannot be understated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting vaccinated prevents illnesses and flu-related doctor visits. During the 2018-2019 flu season, “flu vaccination prevented an estimated 4.4 million influenza illnesses, 2.3 million influenza-associated medical visits, 58,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations and 3,500 influenza-associated deaths.” Not only will it save you money, but it may save your life.
It is also a good preventative tool for immunocompromised people or those with chronic illnesses. It can help lower rates of cardiac events among people with heart disease. Flu vaccination has proven “to be associated with reduced hospitalizations among people with diabetes and chronic lung disease.”
The flu vaccine requirement has endless benefits, but it will also help to decrease panic within the student body. The flu shares symptoms with COVID-19. According to the CDC, both can cause symptoms of high fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle pain or body aches, headache, and vomiting and diarrhea. However, it usually takes about four days for people who contract COVID-19 to start developing symptoms. This contrasts the flu, which people start showing symptoms for immediately or on the second day of infection.
The flu shot takes stress away from students and prevents them from panicking and confusing flu symptoms with those of COVID-19. The CDC recommends getting a flu shot near the end of October.
The flu clinic is next available on Thursday, Oct. 29 on Driscoll Green from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. A recent email was sent out to the student body that stated that flu shots are also available daily from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the COVID-19 Testing Pod through the end of October. Make sure to keep the safety of others in mind by not skipping out on your flu shot.
