Source: Javell Sheppard
The Saint Xavier University Health Center invited students in the Nursing Major to help them distribute flu shots to students, staff, faculty, and community members in the diner on Oct. 5 and Oct. 24.
Kathryn Schlee, MS, FNP-BC, the Health Center’s Director of Clinical Services organized the event.
Schlee voiced that the Health Center tries to host the event in the Warde Academic Center every fall. She added that the “goal of having flu vaccines in the SXU Diner is to be as convenient as possible for anyone who wants a flu vaccine. We don’t want accessibility to be an issue.”
During the Oct. 5 event, around 40 students, staff, and faculty received their flu vaccine. Schlee expressed that this number was around the same number that the Health Center has distributed at past events.
Nursing student Natalie Gaddis stated that “I think it’s a great opportunity just because we have the hospitals but not flu shots in the hospitals” regarding the opportunity to distribute flu shots.
As of Oct. 20, 128.35 million doses of flu vaccine have been administered in the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) declares.
Schlee emphasized that flu vaccines “specifically protect against four different strains of the influenza virus, which causes respiratory influenza. Even people who are not at high-risk of serious complications from the flu should get an annual flu vaccine.”
“The flu vaccine can reduce missed work and school due to the flu, can reduce trips to doctor’s offices, and can make symptoms of flu less severe. I would encourage anyone with questions about the flu vaccine to ask a healthcare provider or seek information from reputable sources like cdc.gov/flu” continued Schlee.
Those interested in receiving the vaccination were required to bring their insurance card and an ID, the my.sxu statement writes. It continues that most insurances cover the flu vaccine, but students “who are uninsured or underinsured can receive a flu vaccine for free from our grant from Alana’s Foundation.”
The Health Center has applied for the Alana’s Foundation grant for the last six years, Schlee expressed. She clarified that the grant is in memory of five-year-old Alana Yaksich who passed away from the influenza virus.
The official site for Alana’s Foundation writes that the foundation’s mission is to “prevent deaths caused by influenza, a vaccine preventable disease and provide support for families whose child has died from any illness.”
Schlee noted that the “Health Center gives about 1000 flu vaccines every year between what we give at the Health Center and different flu vaccine clinics around the community.”
The Health Center offers flu shots, and other vaccinations that are in accordance with CDC recommendations for both adults and children six months and older.
Others, such as the DTaP, COVID-19, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hib, HPV, Kinrix, Meningitis conjugate, Meningitis Serogroup B, MMR, Pentacel, Polio, Pneumococcal Conjugate, ProQuad, Td, Tdap, Varicella, and Shingles vaccines are also offered alongside the Influenza vaccine, as listed by the Health Center tab on the sxu.edu site.
For the COVID-19 vaccine, the Health Center currently has three different types for the season. The center has “Pfizer for ages 12 and up, Moderna for age 12 and up, and Moderna for age 6 months- 11 years old” Schlee added.
Those in need of a flu vaccine can “call 773-298-3712 to make an appointment”, concluded Schlee.