Kate Mitchell

Next month on Nov. 3, CVS Pharmacies will be administering influenza (flu) vaccines to members of the public from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Upper Commons on the Roger Williams campus. Students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to take this opportunity to protect themselves from illness this winter by meeting with the pharmacists to receive a vaccination.

According to recent studies, each year in the United States there are approximately 200,000 people affected by the flu who must seek critical medical attention within hospitals. Out of these 200,000, approximately 36,000 people die as a result of the virus.

In environments that host close living quarters and communal bathroom areas such as college campuses, the flu can become a very serious issue. Students must take into consideration the probability of acquiring and spreading the illness on the Roger Williams campus, and take the proper precautions to protect themselves and their health, and also look out for the well-being of the other members in the community.

Studies show that approximately one in every four college students will be affected by the flu during the winter, so students are urged to do everything in their power to prevent the illness from manifesting.

Flu vaccinations are proven to be the most effective means for warding off influenza and its harmful side effects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that individuals who are at least six months in age are capable of receiving the vaccination on an annual basis to fight the flu.

In order to keep up with the virus, new flu vaccinations are released every year to stop influenza from taking form. Flu viruses are able to adapt, and due to the fact that they evolve so quickly, the vaccine that individuals may have received in previous years is no longer strong enough to prevent the illness from occurring.

All members of the community are strongly advised by the Center for Student Development to take the opportunity to receive the vaccination in the coming weeks.