Every person has missed classes once or twice in his or her college career due to illness, but the Student Health Center is giving some relief to students by offering flu shots.

A flu shot is a vaccination that will reduce the risk of getting influenza during the prime flu season, said Mary Selby, a nurse at the Student Health Center. “It is offered to all Iowa State students and their spouses for a $6 fee, and faculty should go to occupational medicine for their shots.”

The shots will be given every Monday from 8 a.m. until noon and 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. after Oct. 21. Shots will be offered every Thursday from 8 a.m. until noon.

The flu shot can help symptoms of the virus called influenza.

“A lot of people think that the flu is the vomiting flu, but actually the flu is more a respiratory disease,” she said. “Fevers, chills, headaches and coughs are some of the common things you get with the flu.”

The shot is a relatively harmless shot into a person’s upper arm, she said.

“There may be a little sting when the shot is injected,” Selby said, “but overall there is little pain involved.”

She said the shot may hurt for a couple days after the shot, however soreness only occurs in one-third of all the shots given.

“One of the biggest misconceptions about the shot is that people think that they can get the flu from the flu shot, and that is not true,” Selby said.

“It does, however take a few days to build up the immunity, so if you are exposed to someone who is sick, you can get the flu a day or two after getting the shot, but you cannot get the flu from the shot.”

She said getting the flu shot helps students avoid missing class due to illness. Certain times of the year they see a lot of one type of virus, she said, and it is usually passed from one person to another.

“The only people who should not get a flu shot are people who are allergic to eggs, because the vaccine is made from chicken embryos,” Selby said. “Also, pregnant women should only be given a flu shot if it is necessary.”

She said the shot is 70 to 80 percent effective.