Students are being encouraged to receive two vaccines rather than one as winter is approaching —- the bivalent COVID-19 booster, a new COVID booster shot, and the flu shot.
Cheryl Hug-English, medical director at the Student Health Center, explained the benefits of getting this new updated booster.
“It targets two versions of the coronavirus: the original strain, and the Omicron sub-variants,” Hug-English said. “The previous booster shot targeted only the original version of the virus.”
According to Hug-English, Omicron’s sub variants make up over 95% of the cases in the country.
The Student Health Center is offering the new updated booster. To be eligible, students must have the completed COVID-19 series, and their latest booster has to be two months before receiving the updated one.
It’s important to keep up to date with the COVID-19 boosters.
“As fall and winter seasons approach with more indoor activities, the likelihood of exposure increases,” Hug-English said.
With COVID-19, students also need to worry about the flu.
“Influenza or the flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to hospitalization and death,” Hug-English explained.
According to Hug-English, experts are concerned this upcoming flu season will be difficult to navigate through. The Southern Hemisphere is used to predict what will happen in the Northern Hemisphere.
“Australia, which is in the Southern Hemisphere and experiences it’s flu season before ours, just had the worst flu season they have had in five years with cases three times higher than normal.” Hug-English wrote.
To get both vaccines, appointments need to be made at the Student Health Center. Same day appointments are available. The university is also holding flu shot clinics on campus. The Student Health Center posted the dates and locations where flu shots will be given.
Lizette Ramirez can be reached at lizetteramirez@sagebrush.unr.edu or via Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.
