The Ashland University Student Health Center is offering free influenza vaccines to full-time employees and students during office hours while supplies last.

There is no sign-up, no reservation and no appointment required for students and faculty, and the shots will be given on a first come, first serve basis.

The Student Health Center office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm, however, flu shots will not be available on Wednesday afternoons.

Due to the procedure being done during regular office hours there may be a wait for those seeking the shot, but Student Health Center Nurse Patty Owens said the process should take less than five minutes depending on the wait time.

Owens said the supply of influenza vaccines will most likely last just shy of a month and she urges that there are ‘wonderful benefits’ of getting flu vaccinations, but misinformation has questioned their safety.

“A lot of people are misinformed that they will get sick from it,” Owens said. “But in all actuality, all the flu that we inject is all dead virus so you cannot get sick from it.”

Each 0.5 mL dosage of the vaccination contains two 15 mcg strains of Type A and Type B, the most common flu types recommended by the Center for Disease Control.

A student or faculty member is not guaranteed to be exempt from catching the virus after the shot because there are several strains of the flu, but it does rid them of catching the most prominent types.

Owens credits the numerous flu strains to the prevalence of antibiotics to treat similar illnesses.

“When I was growing up every time you went to the doctor you got an antibiotic, that’s why there are some many viruses hanging around,” Owens said. “Because your body doesn’t learn to fight it off.”

Owens said Ashland University nursing students are required to get flu vaccinations so that could have a significant effect on how long the shots will be available.

For students on the fence, she said does not want a fear of needles getting in the way.

“I think they all know it’s better than getting the flu,” Owens said.