More than 800 students have received free flu vaccines, nearly 500 them at a two-day flu shot clinic in February, by the Cal State San Bernardino Student Health Center in partnership with the Santos Manuel Student Union.
The clinic is part of an ongoing partnership with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health to help students maintain their overall health and wellness, which enables them to focus on academics.
According to the Spring 2016 American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment Survey, more than 12 percent of the CSUSB students who participated in the survey indicated that cold/flu/sore throat caused an academic impact for them — defined as receiving a lower grade on an exam or an important project, a lower grade in a course, an incomplete, or dropping the course all together (ACHA 2016).
Holding free flu shot clinics is the latest student-centered approach implemented by the CSUSB Student Health Center to help students maintain their overall health and wellness to enable them to focus on academics.
Similar clinics were also hosted at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, where university President Tomás D. Morales visited the R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard Student Health and Psychological Counseling Center to receive his vaccination. The health center received donations of gift cards from several campus community members, and other campus departments provided give-away incentives to boost student participation.
“The Student Health Center is eager to collaborate with campus partners in order to provide student-centered approaches to health,” said health center director Dr. Grace Castillo Johnson. “Partnering with the Santos Manuel Student Union makes it convenient and efficient for students who have limited time between classes.”
Cold and flu season is at its peak in the winter. Flu vaccines are free to students, while supplies last. Faculty and staff are also welcome to get vaccinated for a fee of $15. To date, 40 faculty and staff have received vaccines.
For more information, contact the CSUSB Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.
Photo at top: CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales, receives his flu shot from CSUSB Palm Desert Campus’ family nurse practitioner, Cecile Dahlquist. Photo: Albert Angelo