On Oct. 3, SUNY Oswego’s official campus email communications, Oswego Today, announced that there would be free flu vaccinations for students and faculty from 1 to 3 p.m. The vaccinations were being given at the Mary Walker Health Center and the style of distribution was walk-ins. An appointment was not required, although students did have to bring their IDs and show it to the health provider who would then give them the flu shot. However, if the person receiving the vaccination was under the age of 18, they would need to fill out a consent form, found on the Patient Portal website, before they received their shot. In addition to this special circumstance, the Health Center asked the people to refrain from coming if they were not feeling well that day because they did not want to put themselves or others at risk.

If students and faculty members were unable to attend the Oct. 3 free flu vaccination day, the college provided two additional days to get them. The two days were Monday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and  Tuesday, Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The location of these two events were in Swetman Gym, which is located in the Marano Campus Center. same rules apply for those who are under 18 and those who are not feeling well on that day.

SUNY Oswego providing free flu shots this early is beneficial for the later weeks to come because according to the NYC Health Department , the “flu is most common during the fall and winter months. Peaking levels generally occur between late December and early March.” The beginning of fall was Sept. 23, which means there may be some people experiencing some symptoms for the common cold or the flu. The typical symptoms of the flu, according to the  NYC Health Department, include, “fever, chills, aches, cough, and sore throat.” They also highlighted that the “seasonal flu sometimes lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia, hospitalization or death” and that “every year, about 2,000 New Yorkers die of seasonal flu and pneumonia.” However, they do say that “you can avoid the seasonal flu by getting vaccinated every year,” which is what Oswego is trying to do by providing numerous opportunities for students and faculty members to receive a free flu vaccination.

If a person was unable to receive a vaccination, they can still prevent contracting the flu by taking antiviral medications as a precaution. Especially if they know that they will be in a space with someone who has the flu. If people do get the flu, the NYS Health Department suggests that they should: (1) rest and drink plenty of liquids and take medication for your systems (2) staying home from work or school, (3) avoid close contact with people so stay away from crowded public places and avoid close contact with household members, and (4) to cover your mouth and mouth when you cough or sneeze. People can get over the flu on their own but these steps are needed to protect yourself and those who are around you.

These same rules applied to those who were under 18 and were not feeling well on that day.

SUNY Oswego providing free flu shots this early is beneficial for the later weeks to come because according to the NYC Health Department , the “flu is most common during the fall and winter months. Peaking levels generally occur between late December and early March.” The beginning of fall was Sept. 23, which means there may be some people experiencing some symptoms for the common cold or the flu. The typical symptoms of the flu, according to the  NYC Health Department, include, “fever, chills, aches, cough, and sore throat.” They also highlighted that the “seasonal flu sometimes lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia, hospitalization or death” and that “every year, about 2,000 New Yorkers die of seasonal flu and pneumonia.” However, they do say that “you can avoid the seasonal flu by getting vaccinated every year,” which is what Oswego is trying to do by providing numerous opportunities for students and faculty members to receive a free flu vaccination.

If some were unable to receive a vaccination, they can still help prevent contracting the flu by taking antiviral medications as a precaution, especially if they know that they will be in close proximity with someone who has the flu. If someone does contract the flu, the NYS Health Department suggests that they should: (1) rest and drink plenty of liquids and take medication for your systems, (2) staying home from work or school, (3) avoid close contact with people so stay away from crowded public places and avoid close contact with household members, and (4) to cover your mouth and mouth when you cough or sneeze. People can get over the flu on their own but these steps are needed to protect yourself and those who are around you.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “people with flu are most contagious in the first 3-4 days after their illness begins. Some otherwise healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick.” Thus, it is crucial that anyone sick with the flu or any other illness follow the posted instructions of regulatory agenies such as the CDC or the NYS Department of Health.

Photo by: CDC via Pexels