The University of Colorado at Boulder aims to be a "No Flu Zone" and as part of that effort is offering flu and meningitis shots for students through Wardenburg Health Center's daylong clinics on Thursday, Oct. 26, and Friday, Oct. 27.
The clinics will be at the Student Recreation Center from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days. Flu shots will cost $25 and meningitis shots $125 and can be paid with cash, check or credit card. The shots are covered by the student insurance plan. Individuals who have the Golden Buffalo Student Gold Insurance plan will be charged a $10 copay for one or both of the shots. Copays may be paid with cash or check only.
Faculty and staff members also are welcome and encouraged to attend the clinics.
"As it has for several years, Wardenburg has distributed cold-care kits to students and is promoting frequent hand washing in addition to encouraging students to get shots and follow other healthy lifestyle practices to reduce the spread of flu," said Bob Cranny, director of Wardenburg Health Center.
But this year Wardenburg also is doing more to educate the campus about flu prevention techniques and is joining forces with several campus departments in an effort to minimize the spread of flu because of increasing concern over a possible pandemic, following recent avian flu outbreaks in Asia.
Although there is no pandemic at the current time, the same measures that work for preventing seasonal flu -- the normal flu that occurs every fall -- also apply to preventing the spread of a stronger form of influenza such as avian flu. The campus has put together a Pandemic Response Plan and is actively promoting hand washing and other health practices aimed at reducing the risk of common seasonal flu.
The "No Flu Zone" campaign, which is being promoted through several thousand wallet cards now being distributed on campus, encourages people to "Understand, Prevent and Prepare" for flu. The cards give the following instruction: "Understand the differences between seasonal, avian and pandemic flu"; "Prevent the spread of the flu"; and "Prepare for the possibility of pandemic flu."
"Because of heightened concern about the possibility of a pandemic flu, we want students to get the message that they need to take steps to stay healthy, which will help them get through the semester," said Sylvia Dane, CU-Boulder's emergency management coordinator and the lead campus manager for CU-Boulder's Pandemic Response Plan. "They need to get immunized, wash hands frequently, cover coughs and do other things like drink lots of water to keep from getting sick in the crucial end of the semester period."
The campus also is installing about 90 hand sanitizers in 17 buildings on campus in first-floor bathrooms near main entrances so that sanitizer is available in high-traffic areas.
Seasonal flu prevention tips also are being promoted through a set of posters in residence halls and around campus that urge:
o Getting a seasonal flu shot (the kind available every year), which could be of benefit if avian flu arrives by reducing the number of people who have weakened immune systems from the seasonal flu.
o Washing hands frequently and using a paper towel to turn off faucets and then using the towel to open the bathroom door.
o Using a gel hand sanitizer between hand washings to help prevent the spread of germs to eyes, nose or mouth at the height of flu season when germs are everywhere.
o Practicing "good respiratory etiquette" by sneezing or coughing into tissues or a sleeve of clothing to prevent the spread of airborne germs.
o Avoiding close contact with people who are sick and, when sick, keeping clear of other people to avoid spreading germs. People who are ill are encouraged to stay home, if possible, to avoid spreading the flu.
For general information on student health, check the Wardenburg Web site at or call the Wardenburg Health Information Line at (303) 492-8741. Students who are ill should call the Telephone Advice Nurse at (303) 492-3435.
Whether or not students get the flu vaccine, they should follow recommended flu prevention steps, Wardenburg officials say. Prevention tips can be found on the Web at: .
To prevent getting meningitis, students who live in residence halls are strongly urged to get a shot, Cranny said. National health officials support meningitis vaccination for college-age adults, especially those living in group settings such as campus residence halls. "The American College Health Association recommends that all people living in residence halls consider getting the vaccine," Cranny said.
People living in close quarters appear to be more likely to contract meningococcal meningitis, often called bacterial meningitis, which can be fatal.
Meningococcal disease, which afflicted one CU-Boulder student in September, is an inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord and its accompanying bloodstream infections. It is rare but potentially fatal. Symptoms of meningococcal disease include fever, severe sudden headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, rash and lethargy.
For more information on meningococcal disease check the CU-Boulder Web site at or call the Wardenburg Health Information Line at (303) 492-8741 or the Telephone Advice Nurse at (303) 492-3435.