Saint Joseph’s University canceled its flu shot clinic due to the fact that the individuals set to administer the shots may not have undergone the proper background checks.

The clinic, scheduled for Oct. 16 and 17, was going to be run by Rite Aid, which does not require background checks for its employees.

“Saint Joseph’s requires that vendors coming to campus require background checks, and Rite Aid couldn’t guarantee their sta had background checks, so we weren’t allowed to agree to let them on campus,” said Laura Hurst, MSN, CRNP, director of the St. Joe’s Student Health Center.

The Student Health Center, located in Sourin Residence Center, is encouraging students who would like to get their u shot immediately to get their flu shots on campus at the nearby Rite Aid, CVS, Target or any other pharmacy that distributes them. Flu shots are free with most insurances.

After their plans to utilize Rite Aid to administer flu shots fell through the Student Health Center chose to get their own supply of u shot that will come in two weeks.

College students have a higher susceptibility to viruses like the flu due to a lack of sleep and improper nutrition, according to Hurst. Additionally, they live in close quarters with others, which causes even more risk.

“They are sharing bathrooms and kitchens, which leaves them more open to spread the flu,” Hurst said.

Students who get a flu shot not only can keep themselves from getting sick, they can protect other students on campus as well, said Anthony DelConte, M.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical and healthcare.

“The more people that are vaccinated, the less likely it is to wipe out a whole class of students,” said DelConte.

If individuals cannot get a vaccine because of allergies or other neurological conditions, DelConte explained they are protected by other vaccinated people around them.

Each year, the Center for Disease Control determines which strains of u will most likely break out and design shots specifically to eradicate those strands. e u shot consists of different strains every year.

Some refuse to get u shots because they think they will get the flu after being injected with a strain of the flu itself. Hurst explained that is a myth.

“It is a dead vaccine,” Hurst said. “The injection is a dead vaccine, so you don’t get the virus.”

Stephanie Crispell ’20 is one student who gets the flu shot every year.

“I’ve always gotten u shots since I was young,” Crispell said. “Especially living in a dorm situation with a lot of people, everybody tends to spread germs quickly. There is a lot higher chance of getting sick. I definitely think it is important.”