Free flu shots will be available to faculty, staff and students beginning Monday, Oct. 2.
On Main Campus, influenza vaccines will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the University Health Center.
On Health Science Campus, vaccines will be available at the outpatient pharmacy in The University of Toledo Medical Center Medical Pavilion. The pharmacy will have vaccines available throughout October and November on Tuesdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to noon, on Thursdays from 2 to 6 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon.
A number of pop-up flu shot clinics also will be held in October on both campuses, beginning with one from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 3, in the Collier Building on Health Science Campus.
Appointments are not required for faculty, staff and students receiving a vaccine at any of the on-campus sites, but individuals do need to complete a consent form, available at influenza.utoledo.edu, prior to getting their shot.
Individuals can complete their consent form beginning Sunday, Oct. 1.
Additional flu shot clinics include:
• Wednesday, Oct. 4 — 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Stranahan Hall lobby on Main Campus
• Thursday, Oct. 5 — 8 a.m. to noon, Collier Building front lobby on Health Science Campus
• Friday, Oct. 6 — 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Health Education Building front lobby on Health Science Campus
• Tuesday, Oct. 10 — 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wolfe Hall in DNA Hall on Main Campus
• Wednesday, Oct. 11 — 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Health and Human Services Building first floor lobby on Main Campus
• Thursday, Oct. 12 — 8 a.m. to noon, Student Union by elevators on Main Campus
• Friday, Oct. 13 — 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Health Education Building front lobby on Health Science Campus
• Wednesday, Oct. 18 — 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Savage Arena near ticket office on Main Campus
• Thursday, Oct. 19 — 8 a.m. to noon, Student Union by elevators on Main Campus
UTMC employees also will have the option of receiving a flu vaccine during several rounding events across the hospital.
UToledo requires the influenza vaccine for all on-campus students and employees who are not represented by a bargaining unit, as well as all healthcare workers at UTMC and University clinics.
Dr. Michael Ellis, an infectious disease specialist and the chief medical officer at UTMC, said it’s difficult to say with any certainty how bad this year’s flu season might be, particularly with how COVID-19 disrupted the usual pattern of respiratory viruses.
The first two years of COVID, influenza was nearly non-existent. Last year, flu season hit early and hard, with its impact being multiplied by a similarly early emergence of RSV.
Regardless of the forecast, however, Ellis said people should follow the recommendation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which calls for everyone 6 months and older to get vaccinated against the flu.
“For healthcare workers, the influenza vaccine is especially important because of our patients,” he said. “We don’t want to transmit influenza to our patients, and even outside the hospital, we don’t want to transmit influenza to our loved ones because so many people have other conditions that make them more vulnerable.”
Though severe illness from influenza is most often seen in individuals younger than 2 and those age 65 and older, as well as pregnant women and those with other chronic health conditions, it can seriously sicken anyone.
“Young and healthy people should get the vaccine for several reasons. One is simply to lessen the risk of bad influenza for themselves,” Ellis said. “Influenza has a full spectrum of bad things it can do. Being young and healthy helps, but influenza can still cause serious illness in young, otherwise healthy individuals. You also want to reduce your risk of spreading the virus to more vulnerable people.”
Vaccination reduces your chances of getting the flu, and typically lessens the impact if you do get sick, he said.
Students who are taking 100% of their courses online and employees who are working 100% remotely and do not come to campus are exempt from the influenza vaccine requirement. The University also may grant exemptions on a case-by-case basis for documented medical contraindications or sincerely held religious beliefs.
The deadline to file for an exemption is Monday, Oct. 16.
Students and employees who complete a consent form and get vaccinated through the University will have their proof of vaccination uploaded automatically. Those who have received flu shots elsewhere need to upload proof of vaccination at utvaccinereg.utoledo.edu. Proof of vaccination is due by Dec. 1.
The University no longer requires COVID-19 vaccines for students or employees in the academic areas; however, those students and employees who are at UToledo Medical Center are still required to receive COVID-19 vaccination. In addition, the University does strongly encourage all members of the campus community to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this month authorized updated 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccines formulated to target the most common circulating variants of the virus.
The CDC recommends everyone age 5 and older receive one dose of the updated vaccine at least two months after getting their last dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Those vaccines are in the process of being rolled out to pharmacies.
