Flu season is making its way to college campuses this fall, and the SMU Dr. Bob Smith Health Center has taken action to help the SMU community fight flu season. SMU students, staff, faculty, and the extended campus community can receive free flu shots at the SMU Health Center.
People are no longer wearing masks which has caused flu season to start earlier, said Caitlin Ridling, SMU Health Center lab assistant.
“We’ve masked for so long; we’ve lost some of our immunities. We are seeing people get sicker now, and with the masking going away, it has started earlier,” Ridling said.
The SMU Health Center offers a quadrivalent flu shot that covers four strains of the flu.
During September and October, the SMU Health Center administered free flu shots at their pop-up clinics that were hosted at various locations on campus.
Although the pop-up clinics are no longer available, the SMU community can still take flu season precautions by scheduling an appoint at the SMU Health Center to receive a free flu shot. Appointments can be scheduled by phone or online through the SMU Health Portal. Walk-ins are also accepted.
While the SMU community can receive the flu shot, the SMU Health Center recommends all students and faculty to take additional precautions to mitigate the spread of the flu.
“Hand washing, cover your sneeze, wear a mask if you are in a highly populated area, stay home if you are sick,” Ridling said.
Students living on campus are encouraged to receive the flu shot due to being in close proximity to their peers, said Courtney Brewer, SMU Health Center lab assistant.
“It’s really important that everybody gets the flu shot because the more people who get the flu shot, the less the flu will be around,” Brewer said.
For more information on how to schedule an appointment at Dr. Bob Smith Health Center, you visit their website.
