One case of influenza has already appeared on the ISU campus. In an editorial, the ISD Editorial Board argues that the benefits of flu vaccines outweigh the risks. 

1. Between 20,000 and 40,000 people in the United States die each year from influenza-related causes, according to Dr. Robyn Engstrom, staff physician at Thielen Student Health Center.
2. Influenza spreads more easily when a high concentration of people is in a small area, like a college campus. Dorms and lecture halls are two areas of concern.
3. Campuses often see influenza spikes after Thanksgiving and winter breaks. Students can bring the flu home with them to their families or bring it back to school from their hometowns. 
4. H1N1 is included in this year’s flu vaccine. The strain is often more severe in college-aged adults than other age groups.
5. Even if influenza patients avoid hospitalization, it can still take between 10 days and one month to beat the virus and regain full strength.

Where to get a flu vaccine:

Thielen Student Health Center offers a walk-in flu shot clinic on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings. If those times do not work, students may call and set up an appointment. Flu shots are also offered in businesses around the Ames community like HyVee, Walmart and Walgreens.

To read the full editorial on flu vaccines, click here.