Though it may still feel like summer outside, a Minnesota winter is coming quicker than any of us are quite ready for. And even though there’s no winter chill in the air, there are plenty of chills and colds on campus with so many students bringing germs back from their summers. 

If you are new to the University, you may not know that Boynton Health, located at 410 Church Street SE on the East Bank of campus, offers a large range of health care services, including flu shots and other immunizations. 

Flu shots at Boynton are fast, easy and come at no out-of-pocket cost for students, staff and faculty. It’s conveniently located right on campus near the medical school, and you can almost always make your appointments online at the student portal or drop in whenever you have the time. There’s no reason not to take advantage and protect yourself against the onset of the flu at an inopportune moment in your semester.

If you have been at the U for a while now, you’ve probably heard Boynton’s flu shot campaign slogan, “Do It For the Herd!” It refers to herd immunity, which means that the more people get vaccinated, the fewer people get sick. Obviously, that’s a good thing for everyone on campus. 

Even if you haven’t gotten a flu shot before, there’s even more of a reason to do it on a huge college campus like ours. You come into contact with hundreds of people every day who come into contact with hundreds more, so it’s much easier for illnesses to spread. 

It’s important to keep other people’s health in mind when it comes to getting not only the flu shot, but other vaccinations as well. People with disabilities, immune disorders, pregnant people and others are much more vulnerable to the worst effects of viruses like influenza. The flu might not sound like a big deal to you, but it can be a horrendous sickness for more vulnerable individuals.