KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2011 / NEWS
3A
HEALTH
As flu season starts shots are still available
Students can still be vaccinated before the onset of the local flu season. which differs from the usual November-Mav season. Watkins Memorial Health Center ran out of nose-spray vaccinations but still has flu shots.
Lawrence sees peak in February-March
BY IAN CUMMINGS icummings@kansan.com
Dalton Gomez/KANSAN
Flu season is just around the corner, but students can still schedule a vaccination for the influenza virus.
Leslie Reece, a junior from Manhattan, has already had the flu twice this winter. The first bout came with last semester's finals and the second in the form of a 24-hour stomach flu last week. She said she didn't get a vaccination last fall and once she'd already gotten sick she said she figured it was too late this year.
Patty Quinlan, nursing supervisor at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said anyone who had not yet been vaccinated should make an appointment to do so.
"It's not too late," Quinlan said. "I can't emphasize that enough."
In Kansas, peak flu season begins in February and lasts through March. Part of that cycle marks the return to campus of students who have spent winter break elsewhere, sharing viruses with others who have also traveled during the break. Because it takes up to two weeks for protection to develop after the vaccination, flu clinics are usually held in the fall for the best protection. The health center still has the vaccine on hand. It can prevent the flu this season — protection from the vaccine lasts for about a year.
Because influenza viruses are always changing, scientists develop a new vaccine every year to match the virus most likely to cause the flu. The Centers for Disease Control's Vaccine Information Statement offers
some details about the vaccine. The 2010-2011 vaccine protects against three types of influenza, including the H1N1 pandemic influenza.
The health center generally carries two different vaccinations. One is the familiar injection of inactivated, or killed, influenza vaccine and the other is a nostril spray that contains live but weakened influenza.
Mai Hester, marketing
coordinator for the health center, said the supply of nasal spray vaccine had been exhausted for this year, but injections were still available. Hester said the health center ordered about 50 units of nasal spray each flu season, and that the order probably wouldn't be increased unless there was more demand for it.
Quinlan said the appearance of the H1N1 virus made last year's flu season unusual because that
virus appeared later in the year, in August.
Though some students might not get the vaccine because they aren't worried about contracting the flu, Quinlan said there were other facts to consider that made vaccination a good idea.
"I really think that students feel they're invincible, that they won't get the flu." Quinlan said.
the virus, she said. Some students may have an increased risk of contracting the flu because of chronic disease or weakened immune systems. The rest of us can help those at risk by not exposing others to an influenza virus.
"I think we have a responsibilty to provide that for each other," Quinlan said.
Though we don't all get the flu every year,we do often carry
-Edited by Sean Tokarz
Watkins Memorial Health Center
785-864-9500
Monday through Friday
8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Sunday
12:30 pm - 4:30 pm
What do you think? Did you get your flu shot?
DUANE BRUCE Chillicothe, Mo. graduate student "I haven't gotten my flu shot yet nor do I plan on it. I got one before and got sick because of it. I haven't gotten one for several years since then."
LINDSEY ERIKSEN
Hutchinson freshman
"I didn't get my flu shot during the break. I don't plan on getting one. I tend to stay pretty healthy so I never really think about it."
MICHAEL NIELSEN
Lansing senior
"No I didn't get my flu shot
over the break but I plan on
getting it soon. I get one
because they're free or at least
very cheap and I figure you
might as well."
TAYLOR LEMIRE
Naples, Fla. freshman
"I had mine during the break.
I get my flu shot each year
because my mom makes me"
SAM AITCHISON Towanda sophomore "I got one before the break. I get one so it will help out my immune system fight off the flu."
MARGO BOGOSSIAN
Boise, Idaho freshman
"I got my flu shot over the break. I pretty much always get one because I don't want to get sick."
BROWNBACK (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Despite some concerns, Dr. Roy Jensen, director of the KU Cancer Center, said he didn't think raising the private matching funds would be too difficult.
of Regents.
"Since our serious fund raising efforts for designation began in 2009, we've raised $45 million
University administrators and those in state government stress that parts of the program could change. Whether the schools must match the entire amount of funds available or if they receive as much as they can raise is one
dollars?" Dr. Jensen said. "I think we'll be fine."
of the details that's still being discussed.
"I think a lot of this will be clarified through the session," Peterson said.
- Edited by Jacque Weber
SECURE JAYHAWK WIRELESS
Important Information for January 26, 2011
The switch to secure Jayhawk Wireless will take place on Wednesday, January 26.
It will require a one-time configuration of wireless devices (laptop, smart phone, tablet, etc.).
Configuration instructions can be found at: www.wireless.ku.edu
Need help?
Contact the KU IT Customer Service Center at 864-8080 or itcsc@ku.edu.
KU INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The University of Kansas