Flu vaccines available in area

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Seasonal influenza vaccines are now available around the mid-Michigan area.

“Typically, September to June is when people get flu shots with the flu season peaking in February,” said Darcie Van Dop, Community Relations Specialist at Central Michigan
Community Hospital. “It’s never too late for anyone to get one.”

Flu shots are available from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in Foust Hall Room 200, the ready care walk-in clinic at CMCH or a personal
doctor’s office.

Standard seasonal flu shots cost $30 each, Darcie said, from Health Services and CMCH. Central Michigan Urgent Care, 520 N. Mission St., will offer flu shots for $20.

These can be billed to student accounts or personal insurance if done at Health Services.

Urgent Clinic Express, 1750 E. Bellows St., will offer flu shots, but the cost is not yet known.

Staying clean

The Center for Disease Control recommends getting vaccinated each year as the best way to prevent the flu.

“Students should take good care of themselves,” said Lori Wangberg, Health Educator for University Health Services. “They should get enough sleep, stay home at least 24 hours until a fever breaks and take preventive measures to not spread germs.”

Other proactive steps include using your elbow to sneeze or cough into instead of your hands, washing hands with soap if you sneeze or cough into them and eating right, she
said.

“The shots are comprised of three different strains of what they think will be the most common types of influenza,” Von Dop said.

According to the CDC, the influenza vaccine can protect against getting sick from these three strains or make an illness milder if students get a similar, but varying, strain of
the virus.

“These shots do not protect against the H1N1 virus though,” Wangberg said.