This October, the Center for Health and Wellness offers students an opportunity to receive an influenza vaccination through three clinics, two of which have already passed. We don’t believe students are taking full advantage of these opportunities. We strongly believe students need to make their health a higher priority.
The risk of getting the flu does not depend on how healthy one chooses to live. An extra apple a day will not prevent the highly spreadable infection of the nose, throat and lungs. However, the flu may ruin one’s entire week and set Keene State College students behind.
We recognize the difference between a flu shot that is detrimental to a student’s health and a flu epidemic that could affect an entire campus. We question whether we, as a community, should bother with the vaccine or not.
Photo Illustration by Emma Contic / Graphics Editor and Brian Cantore / Photo Editor
Professionals say the shot will prevent the flu, and yet we still question the precaution for our own health. From our daily I.D. swipe to the classroom desks we sit at, as a college community we are in constant contact with potential illness. When one student gets ill, the chances of another getting the same illness rises. Protecting one’s self from these germs is vital to one’s health and to the health status of the campus as a whole.
Those hesitant to receiving the shot question the resistance factor. Many believe the chances of getting the flu increase with the shot rather than decrease. The flu shot builds immunity by injecting the body with a slight case of the illness, which is one reason why some students avoid the shot altogether. This decision can also be affected by thoughts that we are an overmedicated society.
We believe students need to research what options are right for them. It is essential that students complete their homework on whether this shot is crucial or not to maintaining their health during the near winter months.
The Equinox thinks health concerns should be prevalent, especially when students are away from their primary care at home. Will we choose to get the shot just to be on the safe side? Or will we become aware of any potential risks that come with receiving the vaccine and decide against it?
Each option is reason for debate, however the importance weighs on students’ decisions. It is necessary to start thinking about what health precautions can be taken prior to getting and spreading the flu because these decisions affect the whole campus.
For those who choose to have the shot, the preventative cost to avoid the flu totals to $12 on campus, according to the Health and Wellness Center website. Whether or not the shot is worth that price is up to each individual.
