The University of Alabama’s annual flu shot campaign, led by University Medical Center, the Student Health Center and Pharmacy, Capstone College of Nursing and WellBAMA, is underway with numerous free flu shot events around campus.
Now in its 12th year, the goal of the campaign is to protect UA students, faculty and staff from the flu by making access to flu shots easy and convenient.
During the campaign, which runs through mid-November, flu shots will be provided – at no cost and with no health insurance required – at sites across campus, including the UA Quad, university buildings and student residence halls. Nurses from UMC, the Student Health Center and Pharmacy and Capstone College of Nursing will administer the flu shots.
“We are looking forward to working with our partners to vaccinate as many as we can on campus for flu this year,” said Katie Oliver, medical systems support specialist for UMC who is leading this year’s campaign. “I am hoping we can meet our goal of giving 10,000 flu shots.”
Influenza, or flu, is a contagious respiratory disease that causes mild to severe illness, and serious consequences of flu infection can result in hospitalization and at times can even lead to death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
An annual flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at high risk for serious complications from the flu, including children younger than 5 years, especially children younger than 2 years, adults 65 years of age and older, pregnant women and women up to two weeks postpartum, people with certain chronic health conditions, and residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Spouses of employees covered under the University’s health care plan can also receive free flu vaccines at the campus flu shot sites or at UMC. Children of employees with UA health insurance can receive flu vaccinations at UMC, and children of employees with non-UA health insurance can receive flu shots at UMC if their insurance has approved nurse practitioner coverage.
Dates, times and locations for upcoming events are available on the flu shot campaign website.