Campus-wide Flu Shot Campaign Under Way at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A University of Alabama campaign to vaccinate faculty, staff and students against the flu this year begins in mid-September and will continue into November.

The vaccination effort is being led by the College of Community Health Sciences. This is the third year the College has lead the University’s efforts to protect employees and students against the flu. Last year, more than 8,000 vaccinations were given.

Nurses from the College’s University Medical Center, the University’s Student Health Center and Capstone College of Nursing will travel to sites across campus, including the Quad, University buildings and student dormitories, during September, October and November to provide the flu shots.

The goal of the campaign is to make getting a flu shot as easy and convenient as possible. WellBAMA is also participating in the flu shot campaign.

The shots are provided at no charge, and insurance is not required. Students and employees are asked to bring their Campus Wide Identification, or CWID, with them to the campus flu shot stations.

Spouses of employees can get the free flu vaccines at the flu shot stations or at the Faculty-Staff Clinic in University Medical Center; insurance is not required.

Children of employees can also receive flu vaccinations. Children of employees with UA health insurance can receive the vaccinations at University Medical Center. Children of employees with non-UA health insurance can receive flu shots at the Faculty-Staff Clinic if their insurance has previously approved nurse practitioner coverage.

Flu shots will also be offered at the UA Employee Health Fair at Coleman Coliseum Oct. 8 and at the UA Student Health Fair at the Ferguson Student Center Oct. 15.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older get a flu vaccine annually. The CDC says a flu vaccine is needed every year because flu viruses are constantly changing, and it is not unusual for new flu viruses to appear. The flu vaccine is formulated each year to keep up with the flu viruses as they change.

“Getting a flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease,” said Dr. Richard Streiffer, dean of the College of Community Health Sciences.

Risks associated with receiving a flu shot are extremely small, and the viruses in the flu shot are inactivated so they cannot cause the flu. For more information about the seasonal flu shots, visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm.

Here is a schedule of flu shot dates and locations to date (additional dates and sites will be added):

• Monday, Sept. 15: Capstone College of Nursing Building, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Sept. 16: Reese Phifer Rotunda, 7:30 to 11 a.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 17: Law Center, Room 12ab, 7:30 to 11 a.m.
• Tuesday, Sept. 23: Alston Hall, 4^th floor parlor, 7:30 to 11 a.m.
• Tuesday, Sept. 23: Quad (Southwest Corner), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 24: Quad (Northwest Corner), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 8: UA Employee Health Fair at Coleman Coliseum, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 15: UA Student Health Fair at Ferguson Center, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 22: Russell Hall, Front Lobby, 7:30 to 11 a.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 4: Gorgas Library, 7:30 to 11 a.m.

For additional information and updates about the UA flu shot campaign, visit the College of Community Health Sciences website at http://cchs.ua.edu, the College’s social media at Facebook.com/UAFluShot and Twitter.com/UAFluShot, the UA Events Calendar at http://events.ua.edu or contact acsaxby@cchs.ua.edu.