By Hannah Hipp
Flu season peaks between December and February, so if you don’t want to spend your break sick, now is the time to take action by getting a flu shot.
Influenza is a respiratory virus that causes symptoms such as fever, cough, muscle and body aches, congestion, headaches and fatigue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. While many cases are mild and can be treated at home, nearly 200,000 Americans are hospitalized from flu complications each year, and annual U.S. flu-related deaths are as high as 49,000.
Tim Fox, clinic manager at the Student Wellness Center, offered the following tips to prevent the spread of the flu:
- Regular hand washing.
- Shielding your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough.
- Seeing a doctor and avoiding contact with others.
- Finally, getting a flu shot, which is still considered the most important preventative step.
Some students still question the effectiveness of flu shots. Rachel Zajac, a graduate accounting student from Dallas, said she got the flu shot a few times when she was younger but hasn’t gotten it in recent years.
“Last time I got the flu shot I got the flu,” Zajac said. “So I’m never getting a flu shot again.”
But Ryan Behrle, a senior mechanical engineering major from Houston, said he gets the flu shot every year and thinks the shot is worth it.
“It makes me feel better going into flu season,” Behrle said. “I make sure to get it every year and I have yet to get sick after getting the shot.”
The Student Wellness Center has run out of flu shots for the second time this season. Flu shots are available at CVS and Walgreen’s pharmacies.
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