Get a free flu shot right here on Wayne State’s campus

We’ve all heard it: “It’s that time of year! Get your flu shot!” 

And sometimes we ask ourselves, “Why should I get the flu shot if I’ve never had the flu? Does the flu shot really even help me?” It’s so easy to think, “I’m a healthy college student; I’ll never catch the flu!” 

Flu shots can often be surrounded my myths or misconceptions, and it’s important to understand some of the reasons why you should get your free flu shot right here on campus. Lets go over the top five.

1.    Avoid getting sick 

Of the five reasons why you should get your flu shot, one of the primary reasonsis that it can keep you from getting sick from the flu. Even if you are carrying the influenza virus, you may never experience flu-like symptoms, but it’s still contagious. Protecting yourself from the flu also protects the people around you.

2.    Protect the immune compromised in your life

Speaking of protecting others from the flu, the second reason why you should get the flu vaccination is because it can help protect people who are at a greater risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu. This includes older adults, people with chronic health conditions, and young children (especially infants younger than six months old, who are too young to get vaccinated). 

3.    You won’t miss school or risk failing a class due to illness

The third reason why you should get the flu vaccination is because it will save you from having to take sick days off from school, work, and other commitments. And getting a flu vaccination may make your illness milder if you do get sick, so you won’t need as much time away from class. 

4.    It is painless!

The fourth reason why you should get your flu shot is because it is painless. Often people say “I don’t do needles” or “Needles are painful.” The shot only takes ten seconds to deliver, and it is that easiest way to protect yourself from the flu. 

However, if you are terrified of needles, there is an alternative. You can get the vaccine as a nasal mist instead, and it’s just as effective as the shot for those under age 50. 

5.    It’s FREE to Wayne State students! 

The fifth and final reason why you should get a flu shot is because you can get one for no out-of-pocket charge at the Campus Health Center, or at any of our many flu outreach clinics in the Fall and Winter semesters. You just need to be a currently enrolled Wayne State student to get your free flu shot.

Dispel those flu shots myths by giving the facts on flu shots. To protect your health and the health of everyone around you, from friends to families to peers, get your free flu shot today!

The most common myth is that you can get influenza from the flu vaccine. This is not true! It takes between one and two weeks for your body to develop the antibodies to help fight the flu after you have received your free flu shot. If you get the flu soon after getting the vaccination, you were already carrying the flu virus without yet experiencing the symptoms.