ISU WellBeing and occupational medicine will offer a free employee flu shot clinic Oct. 7-18 (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.), at the fitness studio (room 1218) in the southeast corner of State Gymnasium.
No appointment or registration is needed, and participants will check in electronically with their ISU ID number when they arrive. More than 2,700 shots were given during last year's clinic, said ISU wellbeing and worklife, senior coordinator Stephanie Downs.
The vaccine is available for these employee groups:
- Faculty, professional and scientific, merit and postdocs
- University child care centers
- Retirees on the university health plan who are not yet 65
- ISU Foundation
- Iowa State Daily
These employees are encouraged to use the clinic to receive the shot because it is the most cost-effective with the ISU medical plan. Staying healthy is one way to help control insurance costs at the university. A copay may apply for vaccines received at a pharmacy or health care provider's office.
"Financially, there is a savings to employees if they go through the clinic rather than if they go through a pharmacy or medical provider," Downs said. "Prevention is key -- and it may not 100% eliminate the risk of getting the flu -- but it will build the antibodies to protect against it. It also leads to having less severe symptoms if they do get the flu."
Employees' spouses and children are not eligible for the clinic, but family members covered by ISU health insurance can receive a flu shot from their medical provider or a retail pharmacy. Visiting scholars and students should contact the Thielen Student Health Center, 294-5801, for vaccination information.
Employees are encouraged to walk to the clinic at State Gym and enter through the south corner of the building. The vaccination clinic is close to this accessible entrance. Parking will be available in the general staff lot (Lot 1) south of the building that runs parallel to Sheldon Avenue. A limited number of free reserved spaces will be available close to the building. CyRide also stops next to State Gym on Union Drive.
"It is the same location as last year," Downs said. "We feel we can get people in and out in about five minutes unless there's a rush of 20 or more people at the same time. The convenience is a big part of this clinic and we want to keep it that way."
Two nurses will administer the shots. If possible, employees are asked to wear a short-sleeve or loose-fitting shirt to give the nurse easier access to an upper arm. Employees can exit the clinic immediately after receiving their shot. Participants in ISU WellBeing's Adventure2 wellness program will receive 50 points for getting a flu shot.
A COVID-19 vaccine or booster is not available at this clinic. Those wanting one should contact their primary health care provider.
The vaccine
Employees who get a shot will receive a three-component vaccine that protects against A and B flu virus strains. The vaccine contains the three viruses recommended this season by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
- A/Thailand/8/2022 (H3N2)-like virus
- B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus
High-risk employees who are pregnant, older, or have other medical conditions or disabilities should consult CDC guidelines. For those 65 and older, the higher dose vaccine is recommended but not available at the clinic.
It takes about two weeks for antibodies that protect against the flu to fully develop. It's not possible to get the flu by receiving a flu shot because it is not a live virus, ISU wellbeing specialist Heather Burke said. Individuals may feel feverish after getting the shot, but that reaction can be the body developing the antibodies.
More information about the flu clinic is on the ISU WellBeing website or by calling the university human resources service center at 294-4800. Information about the 2024 flu season is available through the CDC.
Availability of the flu vaccine after the clinic concludes will depend on supplies, and additional information will be shared later.
