Just as winter rears its frosty head, Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) has wrapped up its annual Influenza Shot Clinics.
The clinics were set up at all Victoria University campuses on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday last week.
VUWSA, in association with Student Health Services, encouraged students to get the ’flu shot to avoid influenza and sickness during winter.
VUWSA budgeted $20,000 for the ’flu shots this year—twice the budget of last year—and Salient understands that this was about equal to the demand.
The 2011 vaccination protects students from the Pandemic H1N1 Influenza 09 (swine ’flu), which is expected to be the predominant virus in New Zealand this year.
Salient spoke to students after they received their free shots.
“We don’t want a repeat of the awful pandemic from 2009, where they had to isolate students in the Halls of Residence,” says a student who decided to have his first ’flu shot on campus.
This year, VUWSA organised ’flu shots at each of the Halls of Residence as a way to prevent this.
Student Health Medical Director Garry Brown is very happy with the response to the ’flu shots.
“The uptake by students has been very enthusiastic, and I really commend the planning, advertising and practical assistance VUWSA have contributed.”