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Flu season has hit Pocatello and ISU's health center is ready with a full supply of flu shots. Flu shots are available to all of ISU's students, faculty, staff, and their spouses. Health insurance is not required. All that is required is a valid Bengal card.

Flu shots are for everybody, says Health Center Charge Nurse, Paulette Canfield. In past years, flu shots have been recommended mostly for the elderly and infantile due to short supply. This year there are plenty for everyone.

"In past years we couldn't keep enough in," Clinic Manager Kim Robertson said. "(This year) we have plenty on board."

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 36,000 Americans die from flu related causes every year. The majority of deaths occur amongst children and the elderly. Although young, healthy college students usually have immune systems capable of fighting off the disease in a couple weeks without serious complication, infected not-at-risk people come in contact with children and elderly people who are considered at risk.

Influenza is a highly communicable disease. It is a hardy virus. An infected person is contagious two to five days before they show symptoms and up to five days after they fully recover. That's why Canfield recommends everybody get a flu shot this year.

"The more people that get the shot, the less likely the disease will spread to at risk people," Canfield said.

She stressed that flu symptoms can be very severe and will take you out of class and work for up to a week. Flu symptoms are so miserable, Canfield emphasizes, that, "you won't even want to get out of bed to visit the doctor."

According to Canfield, if you calculate the cost of your tuition and the effect on grades of missing school for a week, the cost-benefit ratio of getting a flu shot is extremely high. Also, the flu tends to hit Pocatello the hardest right around finals time, meaning a simple flu shot could save students from missing grade-breaking finals. It is advised to get flu shots early because it takes up to two weeks to produce effective antibodies.

One prevalent myth about flu shots is that flu shots give you the flu.

"Flu vaccines are made from dead viruses," Robertson said.

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