The Student Health Care Center has received 1,000 additional flu shots after the original 5,000 ordered were administered in early November.
The additional shots are a new vaccine being used for the first time in the U.S. this flu season. Unlike the regular shot, the intradermal flu vaccine uses a needle 90 percent smaller that injects into the skin instead of the muscle, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"They [the flu shots] were more in demand, so we looked to other options," said Catherine Seemann, SHCC marketing specialist.
The new flu shots are available at the SHCC. They will also be administered on the Reitz Union Colonnade from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7.
Seasonal influenza activity commonly peaks in January and February, but it can start in October and last until May, according to the CDC.
Last year the SHCC ordered 10,000 flu shots and administered about 7,000.
So far, the SHCC has not seen an increase in the number of flu cases compared to previous years. Flu activity in Florida has also remained consistent, Seemann said.
However, the SHCC does see a trend of more students getting cold and flu symptoms in the winter.
Leandra Desinord is trying to avoid getting sick during her first week of final exams.
"If someone's sick around me, I'm going to get sick," said the 18-year-old exploratory freshman.
About 22 percent of students reported that a cold, flu or sore throat has affected their academic performance, according to the Healthy Gators Survey 2010.
During final exam week, the SHCC and GatorWell Health Promotion Services advise students to get at least seven hours of sleep a night and maintain a healthy diet by eating fruits and vegetables.
The SHCC also encourages students to take basic sanitary measures such as washing their hands and sneezing into tissues or their elbows, Seemann said.
"Students have no idea who sat at a desk before them," she said.
