With the pandemonium over last year’s H1N1 virus subsided, the university’s efforts to promote flu vaccines will be less aggressive than last year’s.

The first clinic for flu vaccines will be held Oct. 15 in Flanagan Gymnasium from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

‘The flu, as an illness, occurs every year. It’s seasonal,’ said Kathy VanVechten, special assistant to the director of Health Services. ‘It causes an illness that causes students to miss class and miss assignments, and that can be avoided with the flu shot.’

The flu vaccines will be available to all Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry students, but the expected student turnout is uncertain. 

The number of doses of flu vaccines available for the 2010-11 season has not been confirmed, VanVechten said, but Health Services does not expect there to be a shortage of seasonal vaccines this year like there was last year. 

Hundreds of flu vaccines will be available to students at the first clinic, VanVechten said. After the first clinic, health officials will assess the student response and plan the vaccine supply accordingly, she said. Future flu vaccine clinics will be scheduled throughout the season, she said.

Expectations for student turnout cannot be made before assessments from the first clinic are complete, VanVechten said. But Health Services has already received a number of inquiries from students asking for information about the flu vaccine clinics.

Ashleigh Martin, a senior history and political science major, said she thinks there will be a big student turnout because getting vaccinated seems to be a priority for college students.

Last year, Martin said she had to wait in line for at least 30 minutes to get the vaccine. She said she expects there to be long lines at this year’s clinic as well.

‘I hate getting the flu. I had it before, and it was awful,’ Martin said. ‘I know so many people who got swine flu last year, and they suffered because of it.’

But this year, VanVechten said people are experiencing ‘flu-shot fatigue.’ People seem to be less interested in flu vaccines this year because there were relatively mild outbreaks of swine flu after the hype of the illness spread last year.

‘Nationally, it is expected that there may be less interest in vaccines this year than in other years,’ VanVechten said. ‘We’re hoping that’s not the case with students.’

Carol Masiclat, a Health Services spokeswoman, said it seems reasonable to believe last year’s media coverage of the outbreak of the swine flu virus motivated students to show more interest in flu vaccines.

The swine flu is no longer a pandemic flu, which means the virus has mostly run its course, Masiclat said. But students should still remain concerned about staying healthy during the flu season, she said.

Unlike last year, university officials will not pay as much special attention to this year’s campaign for flu vaccines, Masiclat said. Last year’s campaign included a five and a half minute video called ‘Otto vs. The Flu.’

‘The campaign that came out last year was really about the heightened interest in getting information about H1N1 because it was new,’ Masiclat said.

VanVechten said although this year’s campaign will not be as ‘extraordinarily extensive’ as last year, Health Services will continue to keep students updated about flu vaccine clinics and with information about the flu through news services. The university has consistently promoted flu vaccines for students in past years and will continue to do so this year, she said.

This year’s flu vaccines will protect against an H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. To prevent the flu, students should wash their hands, get adequate nutrition, get six to nine hours of sleep and exercise.

‘We hope that students will choose to get vaccinated because it remains one of the most effective ways to avoid getting the flu,’ Masiclat said. ‘The university wants everyone to make sure everyone can stay as healthy as they can this flu season.’

shkim11@syr.edu

Published on September 27, 2010 at 12:00 pm