To help keep the community safe, SVSU teamed up with Meijer to host a week-long flu shot opportunity for students, faculty and staff.
J.J. Boehm, the director of University Communications, said the flu shot is helpful in keeping everyone healthy.
“Since the flu and COVID-19 share so many common symptoms, reducing the number of people on campus who contract the flu will aid our efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” he said. “We contacted Meijer and they were willing to partner with us to set up a clinic on campus.”
Although SVSU has hosted flu shot clinics before, it has never hosted one to this size and scope.
Boehm said more than 700 people received their flu shot over the course of three days.
“I didn’t get a flu shot last year, but I made sure to get one this year,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do to protect myself, my colleagues and my family.”
Getting the flu shot prior to flu season can minimize further disruptions to classes, Boehm said.
“We know students have already experienced many disruptions to their lives this year,” he said. “Reducing their chances of getting the flu can help prevent yet another disruption. Also, everything we can do to keep one another healthy this year is a community benefit to all of us.”
Boehm encouraged students to get vaccinated to reduce their chance of getting ill or experiencing symptoms.
“Many people don’t know that it is possible to have COVID-19 and the flu at the same time,” he said. “By getting a flu shot, you reduce your risk of getting the flu and/or minimizing symptoms, which reduces the odds of having serious health complications from either disease.”
Many students took advantage of flu shot opportunities from off-campus sources, as well.
“In reaching out to students, we learned many of them already had gotten a flu shot or were planning to get one, which is good to hear,” Boehm said.
Lydia Goodale, a nursing fourth-year, said she got the flu shot for her program and the safety of the people around her.
“(The flu shot) was required by the nursing program, but I got it to keep my patients safe,” she said. “I got it to keep myself and my family safe and healthy.”
Boehm said he hoped the year’s events emphasized the importance of public health.
“Taking proper precautions during this pandemic improves not only individuals’ health but also our collective health,” he said. “Getting a flu shot is one of those helpful preventative measures.”
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