The Health Center at GCC spearheaded a flu drive in September to vaccinate students on campus ahead of flu season. According to the Centers for Disease Control, flu season typically begins around October and causes about 10,000 hospitalizations annually. At least 5,000 people die annually from the flu virus, according to government resources.

During Club Rush on Sept 26, the Health Center opened up a free flu drive on campus. Jessica Garica gave the rundown on how a free flu drive is achieved. “The health center uses the students’ fees that students pay when they register”, she explained “You guys pay a $20 health fee”. She went on and stated that the fee is used to cover GCC’s Health Center and services to keep students healthy every semester, and that’s why it’s possible for GCC to have a free flu drive.

Zoila Navales went into depth about the flu drive. She explained they do this drive to create more awareness, get people vaccinated, and want more people to have access to these services for better health. In terms of the flu drive, students do not have to register in advance. They can simply walk in at the clinic. Also, students need to know some newly learned skills due to past years. This includes washing your hands for 30 seconds, hand sanitizers, masks, and of course the flu shot. Helping your body defend itself from the flu and other germs is critical, health experts say.

El Vaquero got a good insight from the student body who opted to get vaccinated. “Wear a mask around a big group of people because you can’t trust people. Some of them might be sick and don’t want to say anything,” said Andrew Marcus. He said that it’s crucial to be vaccinated so you don’t have to deal with problems in the future.

For more information, visit: https://www.glendale.edu/students/student-services/health-center 

Kylo Tenuta can be reached at [email protected]