NAIT opened two flu clinics this week offering shots to staff and students; however, health officials on campus are finding it difficult to convince the younger students to get their shot.
Christine Bannerman, NAIT’s supervisor at Health Services, says students are not interested in getting the shot because may lack education about its benefits.
“There are a lot more social media out there these days, and people aren’t always reading news stories or authentic articles, and they’re going by what others have said, and it might be that they’re scared too. A lot of people remember their experiences from getting their shots when they were younger and just don’t like it,” says Bannerman.
This week we did an informal poll asking 60 students between the ages of 18-25 whether or not they were planning on getting their flu shot. 70 per cent of them said they were not planning to.
Bannerman says staff and students are more likely to catch the flu from spending so much time in and around the school.
“Students are in such close quarters, they sometimes share tools, they share drinks, they share and people forget that. You can actually cough into your hand, wipe the table and pass on the flu to the next guy if the tables isn’t wiped in between.”
One of the first people to get their flu shot this week was NAIT student Joel Warrington who gets his shot every year. He agrees that getting the flu shot can help protect himself and the people around him from catching the flu.
“My parents kinda just brought me when I was younger to get the flu shot but I think it’s also important just to remain healthy and not put other people at risk as well,” said Warrington.
Staff and students are encouraged to practice good hygiene to prevent the flu from spreading which includes:
- washings hands or using hand sanitizer
- opening doors with elbows or following people through
- coughing into your elbows
- not visit people if you’re sick
- taking a day to rest if you are sick
If people missed their chance of getting their shots this week, NAIT will be holding four more flu clinics in the month of November across campus.
