With flu season rolling in, students lined up at the ARC on Wednesday to receive free flu vaccinations provided by McKinley Health Center.

Through McKinley’s annual flu shot campaign, the health center offers these vaccinations to all eligible students, state employees and retirees at the health center. Vaccinations are available at McKinley any time Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., according to McKinley’s website. McKinley began offering the shots at different locations around campus Wednesday. The first clinic was set up at the ARC’s main atrium from 4 to 7 p.m.  

“This year’s campaign will be most active between now and Thanksgiving,” said Robert Palinkas, director of McKinley Health Center, in an email. “But we will continue to offer no-charge flu vaccination at our health center ’till the new year or whenever the national supply runs out.”

McKinley is most active during this time because flu season usually arrives at the same time as midterms and exam periods.

“Having the flu during the exam period can really impact the academic performance of a student in a big way,” Palinkas said. “Students may suffer adverse impacts because of poor exam preparation, poor test performance or missed exams. Several may end up leaving their studies.”

Palinkas said thousands of students get the flu or a flu-like illness each year. 

“For most students, the illness is basically four days of misery,” he said. “However, some students are severely impacted in a physical way because of complications, especially for people with chronic illnesses.”

Pajion Montgomery, senior in LAS, got a flu shot at the ARC on Wednesday. She encouraged students at the ARC to take advantage of the offer.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Montgomery said. “Especially in a place like campus where you’re constantly around people in tight-knit places like dorms and classrooms, and it makes the community healthy in general.”

Palinkas said getting vaccinated contributes to the health of the University.

“A campus this large has many people who have a fatal reaction from the flu, so by getting vaccinated students help those people avoid exposure to the virus,” Palinkas said.

Laura Lane, nurse at McKinley, said the close proximity of students on a daily basis contributes to the spread of infection.

“With the vaccine, you won’t get sick or make others sick,” she said. “This prevents an outbreak.”

Palinkas said the vaccine is very safe. He said individuals who receive the shot rarely encounter a problem, and if they do, it is either because of an allergy or another complication. McKinley has a screening process to detect those likely to have a problem before the shot is given, he added.

Jacqueline can be reached at [email protected]