by Anna Hampton
Daily Lobo
Jo Antreasian, a nurse at the Student Health Center, said getting a flu shot can make a big difference in keeping people healthy.
"The reason it is good to get it (the flu shot) now is it takes several weeks to develop the antibodies that give you immunity," she said. "Getting the vaccine now, you are really protecting yourself from getting ill over the holidays and spring semester."
The Student Health Center is offering 2,000 vaccinations on a first-come, first-serve basis this semester to students, faculty and others to protect people from the flu season, which typically hits New Mexico in December,
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she said.
UNM students with the Student Health Insurance Plan A or Grad Plan get free treatment. Students with Plan B pay $12. Others pay $20 for the shot.
Student Stephanie Delgado said she went to the Student Health Center for her flu shot because it is fast and free.
"I live in a house with like 50 girls," she said. "I don't want to get sick."
Antreasian said people in large groups are at higher risk of getting sick.
She said it's important for students living in the dorms to be vaccinated.
"One person living in close proximity can spread it really fast," Antreasian said.
Antreasian said everyone should get a flu shot this year because there are no shortages of the vaccine like there were in the last two years.
There are other ways of preventing sickness, she said.
Hand washing, healthy nutrition and a large amount of sleep are important for staying healthy during flu season, she said.
Delgado said she takes extra precautions to prevent illness.
"I take vitamins during the day," she said. "I drink a lot of water, and I wash my hands often."
There are some myths about flu shots that might make students uneasy about getting them, Antreasian said.
"It cannot give you the disease because it is an inactive (dead) virus vaccine,"
she said.
The vaccine is used to stimulate the body's reaction against influenza, causing it to make enough antibodies to fight the disease, Antreasian said.
Antreasian said that if a person is already sick, getting the shot will not stop the sickness, and that not all sicknesses should be classified as the flu.
"The true flu is sudden," she said. "One minute you are fine, another you can't get out of bed."
Delgado said there's no reason not to get the shot.
"I'd rather get a prick than be sick and out of school for a week," she said.
