Students took initiative to fight the flu this week by participating in a flu shot clinic that Health Services hosted.

On Tuesday, Health Services held its third annual flu shot clinic with approximately 188 vaccinations ready for students.

The turnout for this year exceeded expectations compared to past clinics.

Within the first two hours, 76 flu vaccinations were administered to students. By noon, all remaining 112 doses were given out. In previous years, less than 100 doses of the vaccine were given out at each clinic. 

The clinic was appealing to many students, including some who normally do not get a flu shot. Serina Kocher, senior from Olney, Ill., decided to get a flu shot after many years without  one.

Kocher works with children as an education major and decided it would be a good idea to get the vaccination. However, other factors also influenced her decision.

“I probably wouldn’t have gotten the shot if it hadn’t been on campus or if it hadn’t had been free,” Kocher said.

Judy Lyle, associate director of Health Services, said it was helpful to have nursing students administer the flu shot. Lyle said that the nursing students were professional and encouraged their fellow students to get the flu shot.

Joanna Schmidt, senior from Marissa, Ill., was one of the students helping out with the clinic. She had previous experience administering a flu shot.

Participating in the flu shot clinic helped her to gain practical experience for the workforce.

“(The clinic) gave me more practice administering the flu shot,” Schmidt said. “We also collaborated with students who are getting the shot.”

  Schmidt took note of the top three reasons students wanted to receive the shot.

Students who work with children, nursing students who must work in hospitals or students who were generally concerned about their health were the driving force behind the success of the flu shot clinic.

Lyle said the logistics of the event were a large factor in the number of students getting a flu shot.

“I think having a special clinic day and advertising heavily is largely responsible for the good turnout,” Lyle said.

The process from signup to leaving after getting a vaccination was simple and took no more than 15 minutes, Schmidt said.

With more than double the number of students participating in the flu clinic. Health Services will discuss the possibility of getting more vaccinations this semester.

“We bought extra doses this year and were a little uneasy about the possibility of not having a good turnout,” Lyle said. “(Buying more vaccinations) is something we will discuss. We will need to look at where we are in our budget as well as a guesstimate of how many more people will actually take advantage of the vaccine.”

If students have any questions about the flu, they may contact Health Services or visit the office during business hours.

Story by Tiffany Whitfill, Staff writer