The flu is making its comeback after two years of low infection rates. Now the virus raises concern of more severe impacts and a “twindemic,” where rates of the flu and COVID-19 could both surge simultaneously for the first time.
Students should routinely get yearly influenza vaccines but protecting themselves from the flu is especially important this year because it’s the first flu season since COVID-19 mitigations have been significantly relaxed. It could pose an increased risk of illness following a gap in immunity that occurred the past two years due to masking and social distancing, Healthline reported.
To help combat the flu’s spread on campus, Temple University Student Health Services offers free seasonal flu shots to all students and employees in vaccination clinics for the past 18 years. This year, they’ll be available at Morgan North Room D301 and the Health Sciences Campus until Oct. 26.
Students should take advantage of SHS flu shot clinics to protect themselves and their peers against the flu amid expectations of a potentially bad flu season.
Everyone six months and older should get vaccinated for the flu, with rare exceptions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, Temple SHS only administered approximately 3,300 flu shots last flu season, as COVID-19 vaccinations overshadowed flu shot efforts, said Mark Denys, senior director of health services.
During the 2019-20 flu season at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 390,000 people were hospitalized nationwide, a significant decrease from the 2017-18 season in which 710,000 people were hospitalized, according to the CDC.
College students are particularly at risk of catching the flu because their general living and social habits can lead to increased exposure and decreased immunity, according to MedlinePlus, a database of health information in the National Library of Medicine.
“College students live in very close quarters,” Denys said. “They tend to go out and they travel in packs, and a lot of times they may not be getting the sleep they need because they’re studying and doing other things.”
Students can make an appointment to receive their flu shot on the Patient Heath Portal by clicking the “Appts” tab and choosing “Flu Shots” as the appointment type. Then, students can choose a time from one of the clinic dates that works best for them. If a student’s schedule doesn’t align with any available slots, they can also schedule an individual appointment with SHS.
It’s important that students make appointments to get vaccinated sooner than later, as it’s best to get a flu shot before the end of October for optimal protection from the peak of flu season, Healthline reported. Waiting too long could be especially dangerous this year because more serious infection rates are expected to start in October instead of between December and February if the virus follows trends in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Southern Hemisphere, which has already experienced severe infection rates, typically reflects what is to come in the Northern Hemisphere because it experiences winter, and therefore flu season, six months ahead of the Northern Hemisphere. Experts use those trends to predict the type of flu season the United States will have before it hits, NPR reported.
The flu hit historically low rates in the past two years, now people have weakened immunity against the virus because less people have been recently exposed.
“There’s just potentially less immunity in the population and so getting vaccinated is a direct way to boost your immunity toward the flu, especially if you didn’t get that vaccine previously,” said Kirsten Wiens, an epidemiology and biostatistics professor who specializes in infectious diseases.
The unusually bad flu season could be worse when combined with COVID-19. Omicron variants of the COVID-19 virus are currently mild, but if they persist as the flu begins to spread rapidly, the combination of both viruses could put a lot of pressure on the country’s healthcare system, NPR reported.
“I hope that the experiences of the pandemic and the lessons we’ve learned from it have shown people the importance of vaccines, and how lucky we are to have vaccines that protect us from things like the flu,” said Natalie Kimmerlein, a senior public health major. “I’m hopeful that people have a better appreciation for preventative measures for infectious diseases.”
The flu could prove devastating this year, especially combined with COVID-19, if proper precautions aren’t taken. Luckily, Temple students can prepare by taking advantage of free vaccine clinics that will protect themselves and others from this year’s flu season.
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