School of Nursing Students Give Flu Vaccines

The process at Cockroft Hall was practically painless and moved swiftly as Mississippi College School of Nursing students administered free flu vaccines Friday.

There was no charge to faculty, staff and students showing their ID cards at the home of the School of Nursing through late Friday afternoon.

This is nothing new for MC nursing students. They’ve worked at flu shot clinics for at least 20 years, says Deborah Bolian, a nursing professor on the Clinton campus. For the last five years or so, the shots are free for faculty and staff, she said. There’s a $27 charge to MC friends and family members getting the shots.

Mississippi College’s School of Nursing expects to administer 1,000 flu vaccines this fall, Bolian says. On the first day the shots were given, there were 90 people stopping by the first 90 minutes to receive vaccines. Lines were just about non-existent.

Health officials recommend that all people six months of age or older get the flu vaccine. By getting vaccinated people can protect themselves from influenza and may also avoid spreading it to others.

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. In 2009-2010, a new and very different flu virus called the 2009 H1N1 spread worldwide causing the first flu pandemic in more than 40 years. In many USA locations last year health officials ran out of the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control says the 2010-2011 flu vaccine will protect against the 2009 H1N1 and two other influenza viruses.

Seniors at the School of Nursing who administered the vaccines Friday morning included: Jake Crouch of Meridian, Kristin Sills of West Monroe, La., Lindy Lewis of Brookhaven, Aleshia Ford of Pickens and Andy Chambers of Forest.

“I’ve done it lots of times,” Ford said when asked about her experience giving flu shots as a Mississippi College nursing student. “Giving it to faculty is what we love,” she added, with a smile.

Mississippi College School of Nursing students will continue to administer the flu vaccines through the second week in November, Bolian said.