The University of New Mexico Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) will be holding a flu shot clinic on Tuesday, Oct. 1 and Wednesday, Oct. 2 in memory of former UNM student Raymond Plotkin, who passed away after contracting the H1N1 virus in 2009. The event is part of the "Take One For Raymond" initiative, which encourages the public to get seasonal flu shots.
The event is open to students, staff and faculty who are 18 years old and up, but will only continue while supplies last, according to SHAC's website. SHAC holds free flu shot days because college students are at risk of contracting the virus — and a simple flu shot can help prevent this.
Students can get their free flu shots in the Student Union Building Atrium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For those unable to attend the event because of scheduling conflicts, UNM Hospital will be offering free flu shots Sept. 28 through Nov. 2., including four drive-through clinics — giving students a lot more opportunities to protect themselves against the virus this flu season.
The flu is a contagious respiratory infection which impacts the throat, nose, sinuses and sometimes the lungs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found the average flu season infected 8% of the population, with particularly virulent years infecting around 11% of the population.
According to the CDC, flu season picks up in the United States during October and continues through May, with peak flu season being in December through February. The agency states that the flu is highly contagious and can be spread from person to person, even if that person is six feet away. Those who are carriers of the virus are contagious even before they begin showing symptoms and can continue to be contagious five to seven days after becoming sick.
Megan Holmen is the news editor at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @megan_holmen
