The Student Health Center held a free flu vaccine clinic for SRU students Thursday at the tents in the Alumni Parking Lot along Campus Drive.
In order to be eligible for the vaccine, students were required to wear masks, social distance and provide SRU identification.
Three nurses from the Health Center administered the vaccines on a first-come, first-served basis. At about 12:30 p.m., the 160 available doses were exhausted.
The clinic originally had 330 doses available for students. However, because the Health Center didn’t get as many doses as they thought they would, they held some back for the PA program at the Harrisville site. Kristina Benkeser, director of student health services, said the PA program must have the influenza vaccine in order to do their clinical experience.
The Health Center’s supplier of vaccines sends the vaccines in different batches, so they don’t typically get all of the doses at the same time. Benkeser said the supplier gives them a roundabout date, and the range of dates that the next batch should arrive is the first week of October.
Benkeser said they only receive so many doses at one time, so this is not the last time the free clinic will happen.
Benkeser added that she was surprised by the turnout, considering there was such short notice about the clinic happening. She said before the next clinic, the Health Center will make sure they spread awareness about the event in advance.
“This is the year to get the flu shot,” Benkeser said. “It’s a no brainer decision.”
The Health Center encourages those who were unable to receive a flu shot to visit their local pharmacy, as most insurance plans cover flu shots.
The next free flu vaccine clinic will be held during the first week of October. Students will be notified of more details via SRU email.
