Sarah Mead
Contributing Writer
October to April is prime flu season, so students and Health Services staff are working to prevent major outbreaks on campus amidst shortage of flu shots.
“I haven’t seen any cases of flu in the [campus] clinic yet,” Scott Curran, physician’s assistant at Health Services, said. “We have had a few positive flu A’s and flu B’s over at Primary Care’s main clinic.”
In order to keep the occurrence of illnesses low, the Health Services clinic encourages healthy students to get flu shots. Vaccines are available at the campus clinic, the Primary Care Medical Center in Murray, and pharmacies that offer the service.
“I like to administer them while the student is feeling well so that they’re not already sick,” Curran said. “I recommend that everybody get in and get them now. We’re in October. We’re at the start of the season. The more people we have protected from it, the better.”
Unfortunately, some local pharmacies are not currently offering the flu shot due to a lack of stock.
“It’s a widespread thing.” Brian More, pharmacy technician at Walgreens, said. “We give them out pretty quickly. It’s a nationwide back order.”
The Murray Walmart pharmacy has the general flu shot in stock, but is currently out of the higher dosage of flu shot given to older people.
“It’s the high dose flu shot [we’re out of],” Katti Brigit, pharmacy technician at Walmart, said. “We still have flu shots, it’s just the high dose for the elderly. [People] 65 and older get a certain type of flu shot and everybody seems to be out of that right now. There’s a nationwide shortage of that.”
Pharmacies are attempting to make do with what products they have in stock.
“We do have a stronger dose that we can give to the elderly,” Brigit said. “It’s stronger than the original flu shot that a lot of people are getting. People who are really concerned about getting the flu will take that. As far as the high dose, we just can’t get it right now.”
The pharmacies are anticipating a restock of supplies soon.
“We should be getting some tomorrow [Oct. 24],” More said.
The flu shot plays a large role in preventing the onset of the flu. Handwashing, hand sanitizer, and avoiding contact with infected students are also important ways to prevent spreading the disease. However, even with precautionary measures, students may still get the flu this semester.
“No vaccine is 100 percent perfect.” Curran said. “Some people may still get the flu, particularly if they missed their guess on what the strains are and that kind of thing this year.”
Symptoms of the flu include sinus and head discomforts such as headaches, sneezing, and coughing. While these can also be signs of the common cold, the accompaniment of fevers and body aches could mean the onset of the flu.
“A true fever is 100.4 [degrees] or greater,” Curran said. “Usually, they like to sit around 101, 102.”
Even if students don’t have the flu, students should still visit their doctor or the Health Services clinic if they feel unwell.
“Even if you just have a sore throat, strep throat is a reason to come in to the doctor,” Curran said. “That’s something we can test for even on day one of your illness.”
Murray State’s Health Services clinic is located in Wells Hall. The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.
“I wouldn’t sit and suffer,” Curran said. “We [in Health Services] are able to answer the phones between the normal operating hours. The Primary Care Medical Center has urgent care hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day during the work week. If someone is feeling really, really sick, the emergency room is an option.”
