As flu season rolls around, a flu clinic is being hosted on campus on Wednesday from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. for people to come and get their shots. School nurse Linsday McDavid encourages students to get the flu shot to prevent the flu from spreading. 

“It can help you from either getting the flu or getting too sick from getting the flu if you do happen to still get it even after the flu shot, which is always a possibility,” McDavid said.

This year looks a little different, however, as many students are wearing masks. These masks could potentially slow down the spread of the flu, just as they are meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“Going based on last year when everyone was wearing masks and the flu numbers were so far down the years before,” McDavid said. “Hopefully yes, if we are protecting ourselves with masks, there will be fewer flu cases this year.”

Not only can the flu shot help to prevent students from getting the flu but it can also be a big help to distinguish between COVID symptoms and flu symptoms.

“I think it’s a good way to help potentially rule out someone that could be sick from one or the other,” McDavid said. “If you are showing symptoms for the flu, and those overlap with symptoms for COVID, it could be a little easier for doctors and nurses to say ‘ok well you have had your flu shot, but you haven’t had your COVID vaccine, so maybe this could be COVID’ or vice versa.”