Contact:
Jeremy Craig, 404-413-1357
University Relations
ATLANTA — Nursing faculty and students from the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions are offering influenza vaccinations this month for Georgia State University students, faculty and staff.
Flu shots will be given from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6 in the lobby of the Student Recreation Center. Other dates for vaccination include Oct. 11, Oct. 13, Oct. 18, Oct. 20, Oct. 25 and Oct. 27, where shots will be given from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the second-floor atrium of the Urban Life building.
The cost for the regular vaccine is $20, while the cost for the high-dose vaccine for individuals 65 and older is $35. Cash and checks are accepted only.
The high-dose vaccine for those 65 and older contains four times the amount of antigen, the part of the vaccine that prompts the body to make antibodies against the flu, in order to create a stronger immune system response, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Immune defenses become weaker with age, placing older people at greater risk from severe illness from flu -- but the CDC is encouraging flu vaccinations for all people ages 6 months and older. The flu season is usually from November through April.
The vaccinations are sponsored by the Health and Wellness Collaborative of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. For more information, contact Barbara Browning, professor of nursing, at bbrowning@gsu.edu or 404-413-1160.
For more information about the seasonal flu vaccine, visit the CDC’s flu information website at www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/fluvaccine.htm.
Oct. 4, 2011