The annual TCU flu clinic ran out of vaccines by 11:15 this morning after administering 3,000 of the shots to students, staff and faculty.
The clinic was supposed to run until 4 p.m. Wednesday but closed after running out of vaccines. The quick run time of the clinic was due in part to fewer shots being offered after TCU gave out 1,000 shots earlier this semester to help combat an early outbreak of the flu.
Every flu season is different and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they do not know ahead of time when they are going to start to see flu circulation. Health officials said it is impossible to predict what kind of influenza season to expect in 2017-18.
Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. The CDC said these antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine.
Junior Sydney Padden received her vaccine Wednesday morning and said she gets her shot every year.
“I was not nervous because it doesn’t hurt at all and TCU makes it so easy,” Padden said. “The process was very easy and very quick. I was very happy with the service I received.”
Senior nursing student, Danika Cline helped give out the vaccines and encouraged people to get their shot.
“Everyone should get vaccinated each year for a vaccinated person’s immunity usually declines after a year,” Cline said. “One thing to note for the 2017-18 year is that the live attenuated influenza vaccine/nasal spray vaccine is not recommended because it is not very effective.”
The CDC also recommends the use of injectable influenza vaccines as opposed to the nasal spray flu vaccine.
Cline and other senior nursing students recommend that a good time to get vaccinated is usually September-November, but suggest to go anytime the shot becomes available in the community, preferably before it spreads as well.
The CDC also recommends everyday preventive actions, like staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent hand washing, to help slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses, like flu.
