The Student Health Services in conjunction with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will host the first in a series of flu shot clinics today, a free service for its members.
The clinics will take place from noon to 8 p.m. in the Talley Student Center Ballroom, according to Director of the Student Health Services Center Jerry Barker.
Today’s shots are free for BCBSNC members and cost $25 for the general public. Barker said at the upcoming clinics Nov. 6 and 15, the cost for nonmembers will increase to $30 per shot.
“Around three years ago, Blue Cross and Blue Shield decided to do free shots for their members,” Barker said. “So, for the last couple of years, the process has been kind of complicated.”
Barker explained the problems stem from the fact that BCBSNC often waits until the last possible moment before announcing its intention to hold a flu shot clinic.
While the first scheduled clinic this year will have medication supplied directly from the medical supplier, the subsequent clinics are contracted through BCBSNC, so they will be more expensive for nonmembers, he said.
According to Barker, the Student Health Services will also host a clinic for individuals on the Student Medical Insurance Plan on Nov. 8 where members of this plan will receive free shots.
“These plans do not include preventative health benefits and that’s one of the reasons they are so inexpensive,” Barker said. “We went back and we begged them to include this as part of the plan because we think flu shots are critical.”
Barker said this way, most individuals on campus are eligible to receive a flu shot from their healthcare provider.
“All the faculty and staff and many of the students on campus get shots for free,” Barker said. “We expect to give 3,000 to 4,000 just on campus this year.”
Brynna Pink, a sophomore in biological sciences, said she is a BCBS South Carolina member, but said affordable flu shots should be made available to all those in need of one.
“I’m not going to get a shot this year because I got it last year, and it made me sick,” Pink said. “If you want a flu shot, you should be able to get one for cheap. If you don’t get one, it may be because you to take a lot of time off work or school.”
Blaire Davidowitz, a freshman in First Year College, said getting a shot is important to her since she is living in a dorm this semester and that Health Services should advertise more around campus.
“Being in college this year, it’s especially important for me to get the shot because I’m more susceptible,” Davidowitz said. “They should have it posted in the dorms and around campus because I often delete things from my e-mail.”
Davidowitz said she agrees shots should be made available to as many people as possible and the increased price through the BCBSNC program isn’t fair to nonpolicy members.
“It’s great for me because I’m on the plan,” Davidowitz said. “Everyone needs to get one and money shouldn’t be an object.”
Barker said he encourages everyone to get a flu shot to continue through the flu seasons.
“The more people that get a flu shot, the less likely it is that there will be an outbreak,” Barker said. “We strongly recommend people get a flu shot unless they are prevented for some medical reason.”
