Michigan State University is partnering with the Michigan Department of Community Health and 13 other universities to challenge students to get vaccinated against the flu.
MSU is competing against the University of Michigan, and the school with the greatest percentage of vaccinated undergrads earns bragging rights. The competition runs through Dec. 5.
Each year, several healthy, young adults in Michigan die from the flu. Last year, only 10 percent of college-age Michigan residents were vaccinated against it. Those who’ve had the flu know it is far worse than a cold, can knock a student out of classes for a week or more, and once it hits campus, it spreads quickly.
This year students can stop the flu before it comes to MSU. No matter where a student receives the flu vaccine - on campus at Olin, at a local pharmacy, or the family physician – students can make it count at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/flubattle and help MSU beat Michigan. The student is asked only to records their school, age, and the month of the vaccine. The winning school will be announced the week of Dec. 7.
Information on flu vaccine availability is available on the MSU Student Health Services website, http://olin.msu.edu/healthed/Colds_Flu.htm. Uninsured students can receive the flu vaccine through MSU SHS at no charge through a grant from Alana’s Foundation.
MSU Student Health Services provides health and wellness services to the MSU student community at Olin Health Center and in the neighborhood clinics located in McDonel, Hubbard, Holden and Brody Halls.