University organizes clinics, hopes to immunize community
Free flu shots are available for University of Rhode Island students, faculty and staff. Graphic by Elizabeth Wong.
On Oct. 20, the University of Rhode Island’s Health Services will host a free flu shot clinic open to students, faculty and staff.
The clinic will be held in the Memorial Union Ballroom from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dr. Christopher Nasin, medical director of Health Services, emphasized the importance of receiving a yearly flu shot.
“Getting the influenza vaccine is incredibly important for a variety of reasons,” Nasin said. “Seasonal influenza can cause a lot of disease, deficient immunity, missed days of school and work and, not to mention, [it] makes people feel pretty crummy.”
As students continue to test positive for COVID-19, Nasin said that it is more important than ever for students to get their flu shot in order to preserve health care resources at the University. Starting from mid-October to November, symptoms of the flu will begin to show up in the community alongside COVID-19.
Although this seems unprecedented, the Southern Hemisphere’s winter experience can offer valuable insight on what the Northern Hemisphere’s flu season may look like. Nasin described this year’s occurrence of influenza in the Southern Hemisphere as “lighter than usual.” This can be attributed to mask wearing, diligent hand washing and compliance with social distancing.
“Having both viruses circulating at the same time, really sets up quite a burden on the community and in particular health care resources,” Nasin said, “We are hopeful that if we get vaccinated and do our services to ourselves and our community by the physical distancing, the mask wearing and the hand washing, that we can really make a big impact on combating both influenza and the coronavirus this fall.”
COVID-19 and influenza share many of the same symptoms such as a fever, cough, nausea or sore throat. However, according to Yale New Haven Health, breathing difficulties are more common in those with COVID-19 than those with the flu, and those with the flu never lose their sense of taste or smell, which is a symptom associated with COVID-19. Of course, some people with COVID-19 express no symptoms at all.
Student Senate President Austyn Ramsay said she has gotten the flu shot every year and urged others to do so as well. She stressed that although there is no evidence that getting the flu shot will decrease chances of getting COVID-19, there is still a lot unknown about the virus and whether or not the flu will make it worse.
“Getting vaccinated [for influenza] may help prevent us from getting flu symptoms that people may mistake for COVID-19,” said Ramsay. “To stay healthy in a time of uncertainty, it is best for everyone to stay safe and get vaccinated.”
Freshman Gabriella Biancone is one of the many students who intends to get vaccinated at the clinic.
“I decided to sign up for the flu shot clinic because not only do I get one every year, but with the global pandemic going on, the flu can worsen the situation as a whole,” Biancone said.
The free flu shot clinic has been an event for “decades” at the University. According to Nasin, the free doses come straight from the state of Rhode Island to control or curb the spread of influenza on campus, especially during the current pandemic.
If unable to attend, students can look forward to another mass flu shot clinic to be decided on at a later date, according to Nasin.
“I already did — three weeks ago,” said Dr. Nasin when asked if he will receive an influenza vaccine. “As a physician, I believe that [the flu shot] is one of the most important things we can do for our health. With the current pandemic, it is even more important than ever. The earlier the better.”
Community members can register at the URI Health Services website. Participants must register online as no walk-ins will be allowed at the event.