With flu season approaching, UTRGV Health Services are providing free flu shots for enrolled students while supplies last on the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine Dr. Scott Spear explains how the flu shots are being administered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Well, we’re screening everybody by phone. We’re asking them, ‘do they have any symptoms?’ Everybody has to obviously come in wearing a mask,” Spear said. “If they have [COVID-19] symptoms, then we can help them get testing either through us or through the UTRGV drive-thru. And then if they’re negative, then we can give them the flu shot.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death.
Spear said it is important to get a flu shot during the pandemic.
“So, we’re really recommending that everybody, particularly those who could be around older folks or people who have suppressed immune systems kind of like the same risks for COVID,” Spear said, “but also students themselves can get sick and get quite sick with influenza, that everybody gets vaccinated for influenza. Particularly this season and particularly early, so that they’re protected from the get-go.”
The CDC’s flu season website states because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses, like flu, this fall and winter is more important than ever.
Director of Health Services Rick Gray said last year the department administered more than 1,700 shots to students and hopes to provide the same amount this year.
“I hope more kids will come in,” Gray said. “Like I said, the broader immunity, the less likely you are to contract other diseases or give other diseases a more opportune host to set up in and helps prevent two pandemics at the same time. I mean, two illnesses.”
Before visiting the Student Health Services in Cortez Hall, Suite 237 in Brownsville, call at (956) 882-3896.
For the Edinburg clinic at 613 North Sugar Road, call (956) 665-2511.
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