Spring Break
Students scoff at flu shots
Ryan Fernandez
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: News
The H1N1 virus is not a concern for some students, who say they have chosen not to be vaccinated for the virus.
"I really don't think I need it," freshman pre-nursing major Son Nguyen said. "If you're strong and healthy, then what's the point?"
H1N1 is the most common influenza virus in humans, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' Influenza Research Database.
Roger Elrod, Student Health Center director, said students should get vaccinated to protect themselves and the people around them against the flu.
He said the vaccinations serve two purposes - to boost the immune system of individual recipients, and to reduce the transmission rate of the virus through a concept called "herd immunity."
Elrod said "herd immunity" involves vaccinating a given population to prevent the spread of a virus such as H1N1.
The virus cannot infect people who have already been immunized, and people who are immune cannot infect people who have not been vaccinated, he said.
"The more people that are immunized, the fewer number of people the virus can jump through to spread," Elrod said. "We're trying to isolate the swine flu physically by having people wash their hands and keep their distance from the sick, and isolate it medically by immunizing people with the vaccine."
Maggie Leung, a senior interior design major, said she didn't think getting either flu vaccine is necessary, and said she experienced a side effect after a previous flu vaccination.
"I got a cold after, but I was fine," she said. "If I get the flu once, then I'll be immune to it."
Elrod said adverse reactions are a concern with vaccines, but said the number of people who would experience a reaction is small compared with the number of people the vaccine would help.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, potential side effects from H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines include soreness or redness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, aches and nausea.
"I really don't think I need it," freshman pre-nursing major Son Nguyen said. "If you're strong and healthy, then what's the point?"
H1N1 is the most common influenza virus in humans, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' Influenza Research Database.
Roger Elrod, Student Health Center director, said students should get vaccinated to protect themselves and the people around them against the flu.
He said the vaccinations serve two purposes - to boost the immune system of individual recipients, and to reduce the transmission rate of the virus through a concept called "herd immunity."
Elrod said "herd immunity" involves vaccinating a given population to prevent the spread of a virus such as H1N1.
The virus cannot infect people who have already been immunized, and people who are immune cannot infect people who have not been vaccinated, he said.
"The more people that are immunized, the fewer number of people the virus can jump through to spread," Elrod said. "We're trying to isolate the swine flu physically by having people wash their hands and keep their distance from the sick, and isolate it medically by immunizing people with the vaccine."
Maggie Leung, a senior interior design major, said she didn't think getting either flu vaccine is necessary, and said she experienced a side effect after a previous flu vaccination.
"I got a cold after, but I was fine," she said. "If I get the flu once, then I'll be immune to it."
Elrod said adverse reactions are a concern with vaccines, but said the number of people who would experience a reaction is small compared with the number of people the vaccine would help.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, potential side effects from H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines include soreness or redness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, aches and nausea.
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