By: Bryce Mougey
Contributor
With flu season approaching, it is important for the campus community to protect themselves against viruses. This includes getting vaccinated.
The Morrill Hall Breezeway was transformed into a vaccine clinic on Oct. 28, as students and staff waited in line to get vaccinated for flu, meningitis ACYW-135, Hepatitis A, B, or AB, COVID-19, Human Papillomavirus, measles and other vaccines.
“Well I think of it as a courtesy to others. It’s important to keep a healthy learning community, because when people are not out in the classroom, they’re not learning,” Heidi Loiseau, adjunct professor in the physics department, said.
Loiseau said she visited the clinic to be vaccinated for pneumonia and flu.
In a collaboration with CVS, Health Services hosted the “Vaccine Clinic” as an accessible way the campus community can get vaccinated.
“Vaccines do make a difference and a lot of times we can save lives, by giving vaccines. But the patients can’t always come to us in the pharmacy. So, we try to go into the community to bring vaccines to patients,” Valentino Cruz, a longtime pharmacy manager for CVS, said.
This time last year, Connecticut did not have any recorded flu-related deaths, according to data from the Department of Public Health, as there have been six cases since September.
Data also shows that flu cases in the state have risen more than 22% since Oct. 20, and flu-related hospitalizations have increased more than 64%.
“We’re already seeing a lot of sickness in a community, our antiviral prescriptions, COVID, we’re already dispensing a lot of them,” Cruz said.
Students and staff were able to receive vaccinations by bringing their insurance cards to the walk-in appointment.
“It’s here already, so they can take a vaccine,” Cruz said. “It takes 10 to 14 days to really kick in, so now is prime time to get the vaccine against the seasonal illness. It’s not too late.”
Health science major Fatima Martinez, a senior, said she received her flu shot.
“I think it just prevents disease or just to protect yourself,” Martinez said.
For those who missed the pop-up clinic, Cruz said there will be more opportunities in the future for people to get vaccinated on campus.
“We are basically coming to Southern and about once every month for clinics,” Cruz said. “One of the things we do is when we come, we bring all the best we have.”
