2008 Woodie Awards
Health center, local stores run out of flu vaccinations
Danelle Noonan
Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: News
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Mary Castle, a University Health and Counseling Services certified medical associate, said the health center ran out of flu shots almost two weeks ago.
ShopKo and Kmart in Fort Atkinson already offered flu shot clinics in October and early November. The stores won't be offering them again this flu season.
The only nearby location with flu shots in stock is the Whitewater Family Practice, located at 1305 W. Main St.
The shots are given primarily to its patients. Non-patients can bring in insurance cards and get registered as patients, otherwise they can pay $40-$45 upfront with cash, a steep price compared to the $18 fee charged by the university's health center for the same service.
According to Ruth Swisher, associate director of the University Health and Counseling Services, the health center starts administering flu shots in October and typically runs out by mid-November.
"We can't order anymore here at this point in the year because we'd have to order a larger quantity than we'd be able to sell," Swisher said.
According to Swisher, the health center buys the vaccine based on last year's experience. This year they ordered around 400 doses.
Swisher said students looking to get the flu shot should call their family health care provider.
"We encourage everyone to get the vaccine early," Swisher said. "Especially those who are high-risk."
A person considered to be high-risk is anyone with chronic illness or heart and respiratory conditions. Children and the elderly are also encouraged to get vaccinated early.
An information page given out by the health center said students who want to be vaccinated should plan to get the shot in October or November, since flu season extends from November through May. However, getting the shot in December or later will still be beneficial since most flu cases occur in January and February.
The flu is a contagious disease caused by the influenza virus, which spreads from an infected person to the nose or throat of others. It can lead to pneumonia and can be especially dangerous to people with heart or breathing conditions.
Flu symptoms include fever, sore throat, chills, cough, fatigue, and head and muscle aches. The influenza vaccine can prevent a person from contracting the illness.
In the United States, 5-20 percent of the population gets the flu and about 36,000 people die from it every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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