The odds that the Ebola virus is coming to your college are pretty low. Flu season, on the other hand, is a much more realistic threat, and it’s just around the corner. So why don’t students care?
Unfortunately, most students aren’t taking the necessary precautions to stay healthy: namely, getting a flu vaccine.
Only about 13% of college students receive flu vaccinations, a recent study found. That’s problematic, as influenza can spread easily in college, where students share living spaces, facilities and even food and drink.
Why then are college students so apathetic when it comes to getting getting vaccinated?
Experts believe it’s a combination of students being overly optimistic about their own health and not taking influenza seriously.
Most college students are still young enough to underestimate health threats. You can see this in their diets, drinking habits and other more risky behavior.
Many students don’t see the flu as something that could affect them. It’s something that happens to other people, so getting a flu shot is a waste of time.
And because they hear about flu season every year, it becomes old hat to them. It doesn’t come with the fear and anxiety that surrounded the Ebola virus.
After being told year after year to get a flu shot, many students have simply stopped listening.
Change their minds
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people get vaccinated as soon as flu shots are available, usually in October.
However, it’s not too late to get students vaccinated. December 7-13 is National Influenza Vaccination Week – the perfect time to raise awareness and convince students to get vaccinated before going home for winter break.
Here are a few ways you can change students’ minds about getting flu shots:
- Host a flu shot clinic in a central location on campus
- Have an open policy regarding flu shots at your health center: Students can drop by for one without an appointment
- Use social media to spread the word about the importance of flu vaccinations, like this tweet from the University of Pennsylvania, and
- Take advantage of the CDC’s free resources to promote vaccinations.
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