Student Health Center offers monthly flu shot clinics

• Flu shot clinics this fall and spring hope to make it more convenient for students to get flu shots.
• Student Health Center is also promoting a washing hands campaign to promote hygiene.

Students wishing to get a head start on flu season might find it a bit easier this year due to monthly flu clinics hosted by Liberty University’s Student Health Center.

The clinics for this semester will be held Nov. 1 and Dec. 6, from 12-2 p.m.  Flu shots are administered on a first-come, first-serve basis. The clinics will resume after winter break, with clinics in January, February and March.

Keith Anderson, executive director of Liberty University Student Health Center and Wellness Initiatives, said they wanted to start fighting the flu earlier this season.

“We approached it a little bit differently this year, in that we started the flu season campaign in September during our health expo,” Anderson said. “The intent was to offer an earlier start to addressing a concern our students may have for communicable diseases.”

According to Anderson, the new approach seems to be working.

“Already, we’ve had more people who took advantage of getting their flu shots this year than we did all of last year,” Anderson said.

In past years, students who wanted a flu shot could simply ask for one at the Student Health Center, but having specific dates for flu clinics seems to encourage more students to attend.

“Dedicating specific times for this particular flu shot seemed to be more helpful and more convenient for students to plan to receive it,” Anderson said.

At the first flu clinic at the Health Expo held Sept. 26, more than 84 shots were given, and at the clinic Oct. 11, more than 20 shots were administered.

“I would imagine, as we get closer and closer to the heart of flu season, which is typically between January and March, we’ll see more students willing to participate,” Anderson said.

The flu shots are provided by Central Virginia Family Physicians, and they are administered by seniors in Liberty’s School of Nursing under the supervision of a registered nurse.

“These nursing students just want to have the opportunity to serve their campus community, as well as getting experience in administering immunizations at a clinic,” Anderson said.

Danielle Cloos, who is studying for her master’s degree in public health, does the marketing, advertising and social media for the flu campaign. She said flu shots are not the only things the Student Health Center is working to promote.

“We’re promoting a washing hands campaign,” Cloos said. “We’ve been trying to get the word out to stop spreading germs, wash your hands and prevent the flu.”

Anderson said preventing the flu takes more than simply getting a flu shot.

“Proper hygiene and prevention together will increase the likelihood of you being healthy through an otherwise challenging period,” said Anderson.

Anderson encouraged students to visit the Student Health Center’s website lustudenthealth.com, where students can find other tips for preventing the flu.

The website also has a phone number students can call to make an appointment at the Student Health Center at 434-38-7774. There are also a few appointments available through walk-i