FLU SEASON HAS ARRIVED

Nothing dictates that summer is over and fall has begun like the start of flu season. With the commencement of flu season, vaccinations are now available at every corner.

According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu peaks between months of December and February. Typically, it takes about two weeks for the body to develop antibodies against the flu after vaccination, which is why people are encouraged to get vaccinated early in October through November before the flu season is in full force. To other students an opportunity to get vaccinated, CU Denver began offering free flu shots for students all over campus starting the first week of October.

Photo Credit: Sofia Shappell • CU Denver Sentry

With flu season comes a lot of controversy over whether or not people should get vaccinated. Some people are required to by their employers, especially those who work in any type of health care setting. While some are willing get the flu shot, others refuse.

“When I was younger, my mom never made me get flu shots,” Kayla Jefferson, a senior at CU Denver, said. “Now that I’m older, I still don’t get them and so far I’ve never gotten the flu. It helps that the majority of people around me are vaccinated, but I personally won’t be getting a flu shot this year.”

On the other hand, Anthony Nguyen, another CU Denver student, believes in the importance of the vaccine. “I believe it is important for students to get it. We live in a world of bacteria and germs. These flu shots help minimize the chances of getting sick, and I think it helps control the issue on campus in general.”

The CDC stresses the importance of flu shots. Influenza itself is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization, or worse, death, if infected with it. “Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year,” the CDC’s website says. By getting vaccinated against the flu, the flu-associated hospitalizations are dramatically reduced. If one were to get sick with the flu shot, the vaccine would make the illness much more mild than it would be without it.

On a campus with over 18,000 students, being susceptible to getting and spreading the flu to someone else is very likely. The best way to stop the spread of the flu is with a flu shot. Free or low-cost flu vaccinations are available just about everywhere, and are even more accessible to students on campus.

Students can head to the Auraria Immunization office, located in the Plaza Building in Suite 149. Get a flu shot anytime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

Fall and winter seasons should be about preparing for all the fun holidays to come, not about fighting the flu.