The leaves are falling, the air is cooling, the snow is coming, and so is flu season. Veterans prepare. Freshmen be warned. The arrival of Old Man Winter is upon us and the number of flu cases around you could be higher than ever.
The United States is experiencing a major shortage in flu vaccines this year. The largest producer of flu vaccines for the United States is a British-based company called Chiron.
Due to contamination at one of the company’s production plants, the U.S. will lose the ability to vaccinate millions of people. That includes you, the college student, as well as professors and staff members in average health.
Vaccines are being prioritized across the nation, and with the exception of outstanding circumstances, college students are among the least likely to get a flu shot. Fairfield University is probably not going to offer a single shot this season.
“We haven’t received any vaccines and we don’t really plan to,” said Allyson McLaughlin, R.N. of the health center.
Yet with students living in such tight quarters in dorms, townhouses, apartments and beach houses, it seems that if even one student becomes ill, the risk of spreading the flu is likely. If one considers that most of the time students spend outside these buildings is walking through the cold air to get to class, or sitting within inches of other students in a classroom, it seems odd that college students are given such low priority.
Yet officials at the health center are calm about the situation.
“Really the only students who would need the vaccination are those that suffer from asthma or other chronic conditions,” McLaughlin said.
“I have asthma but it doesn’t affect me daily,” said Alexis Jarossy ’05. “I’m not getting a shot this year; I know there are people out there who need it way more than I do.”
Those who are at high risk include people over the age of fifty, children younger than two years old, pregnant women, healthcare providers, people with weakened immune systems and people who have been hospitalized in the past year with diabetes or chronic kidney conditions, according to CNN.com.
It seems that even those in these qualified categories are recognizing the desperate need of others for the limited vaccinations.
“My mother has chronic bronchitis and receives a flu shot every year,” said University College student Viviane Herde. “But this year she is not getting a shot because she feels there are people out there that need it worse than she does.”
With college students being given such a low priority this flu season, the Fairfield population is forced to take their own extra steps to ensure health.
“I plan on taking extra vitamins and avoiding coughing students,” said Kate Conner ’05. “I seem to have a knack for picking up what people around me have, and without the option of a flu shot this year, I am going to be more careful
than ever this season. I plan on washing my hands every two minutes.”
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