A new shipment of flu shots are in, and the Student Health Care Center should have enough to last through November.
“This shipment was already planned months ago,” said Catherine Seemann, a spokeswoman for the Student Health Care Center.
UF doesn’t order the seasonal influenza vaccines from one manufacturer, she said.
It orders from multiple manufacturers in case there is an issue with the shots or delay from the manufacturers.
“So this way we don’t put all our eggs in one basket,” Seemann said.
She said about 4,000 shots have been given this season compared to 2,500 this time last year.
Seemann said this year the SHCC did expect to give out more shots, but the number was more than originally estimated.
Evelyn De la Vega said she has a busy schedule and doesn’t have enough time to schedule an appointment at Walgreens or CVS.
“I think it’s great that I can just walk in the (SHCC) and get my flu shot every year on campus without having to plan ahead,” said the 20-year-old UF public relations senior.
Seemann said the most common mistake students make is thinking they are healthy and don’t need the shot.
A healthy immune system helps fight off infections. However, it does not make students immune to the seasonal flu.
Seasonal flu begins after Thanksgiving break and peaks in February. But students should not wait until the last minute to get the vaccine, Seemann said.
It takes two weeks for the antibodies from the shot to build in the body’s system, so students should get the vaccine as soon as possible, Seemann said.
“The flu shot is extremely important to all students, and it is literally the No. 1 way to prevent the seasonal flu,” she said.
A version of this story ran on page 5 on 10/28/2013 under the headline "Flu shots back at Student Health Care Center until Friday." The earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the Student Health Care Center would only have flu shots through Friday. It has since been amended.
