Free Flu Shots Available Feb. 11 to Members of Campus Community and Their Families

With the flu widespread in 25 U.S. states, including Virginia, the Norfolk Department of Public Health, aided by Old Dominion University's Office of Student Health Services, is offering free influenza vaccine for the campus community on Friday, Feb. 11.

The clinic, from noon to 3 p.m. in the Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach rooms of Webb Center, is available free of charge for any ODU student, staff or faculty member, or their families, on a first-come, first-served basis.

This year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age or older be vaccinated. Both adult and pediatric injectable doses of the 2010-11 seasonal flu vaccine will be administered. No nasal flu vaccine is available for this clinic.

This is the last time the vaccine will be offered free on campus this flu season. The CDC recommends that vaccination efforts continue as long flu is circulating in the community. Many years, flu season continues into April. Flu vaccine is for prevention of the flu but does not treat the flu.

Other everyday preventive actions are to cover your cough, wash hands frequently and try to avoid close contact with sick people. Symptoms of the flu include fever, chills, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, headache and fatigue.

For more information about influenza, and the flu vaccine, see the following websites: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-flu.pdf and http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm.