As flu season approaches, Ball State University continues its efforts to protect students, faculty and the Muncie community by partnering with the Indiana Immunization Coalition (IIC). 

This collaboration aims to provide access to various vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including the flu shot, while eliminating barriers such as transportation issues and lack of insurance. 

“Ball State has been offering vaccination clinics in partnership with the Indiana Immunization Coalition since 2020. It is part of our annual effort to support a healthy Ball State campus community as we approach flu season,” said Ro-Anne Royer Engle, vice president of student affairs at Ball State, via email. “It also provides students with convenient access to other immunizations they may have not received.”

The partnership between Ball State and the IIC originated during the COVID-19 pandemic when healthcare access became more difficult to acquire. With the increased awareness of public health challenges during this time, the university recognized the need for accessible vaccination options for its student body.

This accessibility to vaccinations for Ball State students proved crucial, as a survey by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) revealed a significant lack of vaccinations among college students even before the pandemic began. 

According to NFID’s survey, 70 percent of U.S. college students believe getting a flu vaccine is important. Still, only 46 percent follow through and get vaccinated, citing barriers such as cost, inconvenience and misinformation. 

“We first partnered with IIC in October 2020 during the pandemic, the event was held in Worthen Arena, and we were able to follow distance guidelines and provide not only flu shots but many immunizations that students were not able to obtain due to the difficulties and reluctance of healthcare access during the pandemic,” said Amy Yakos, assistant clinical lecturer for the School of Nursing at Ball State.

Staci Johnson, clinic director for IIC, emphasized that the coalition’s mission is to make vaccines accessible to all Hoosiers, particularly in settings like Ball State’s on-campus clinics. Johnson also said that the IIC eliminates financial barriers by “absorb[ing] all out-of-pocket costs,” which is important given that financial strain from lack of insurance or high co-pays is one of the main reasons many college students skip vaccines. 

Johnson said one of the main reasons IIC connected with Ball State is because they thought it would be a  “great opportunity for nursing students to gain clinical experience.”

Since then, the collaboration has continued annually, and Ball State nursing students have occasionally assisted with IIC clinics throughout the Muncie area. 

Johnson also reflected on the importance of promoting vaccine advocacy in the next generation of healthcare providers. 

“We are thankful for Ball State University’s partnership in advocating for vaccine access for all Hoosiers,” she said. “By working with the School of Nursing every year, we are fostering vaccine advocacy in the next generation of the medical community.”

This is important as students can experience significant disruptions due to flu-related illnesses. The CDC states that  “most people who get the flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks.”

“We hope the convenience of an on-campus clinic encourages members of the campus community to take the necessary actions to stay healthy heading into flu season by getting a flu shot,” Engle said. “Making this available to campus eliminates several barriers to students getting a flu shot, including transportation, being uninsured or underinsured, and finding time between classes or work.”

Yakos voiced the importance of ensuring easy access to healthcare, particularly for students who face immunization requirements. 

“Convenience is always helpful when considering access to healthcare. Immunization requirements for students make it imperative that we support access,” Yakos said. “We want to keep the BSU community healthy. Immunizations prevent disease outbreaks and protect from illnesses that can cause long-term issues and even death.”

To further ensure accessibility, IIC clinics accept walk-ins and charge no administration fees. 

“We know that students and faculty are busy, so we want to make receiving vaccines as easy as possible,” Johnson said. “We also assist in locating immunization records and provide education on each vaccine to empower young students to be their own vaccine advocates.”

The next immunization clinic at Ball State will take place at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center Ballroom Oct. 23 from noon to 6 p.m. Vaccines offered will include the flu shot, DTaP/Tdap, MMR, chickenpox (varicella), pneumonia, shingles and more. 

There is no cost for those without insurance, and participants are encouraged to bring their immunization records and health insurance card if they can. Pre-registration is encouraged through the IIC’s website, but walk-ins are welcome. 

Students can pre-register on the website by searching for “Ball State L.A. Pittenger Student Center.” To sign up, they can click “Sign Up for Vaccinations” next to the clinic date they want. 

For those unable to get to on-campus clinics, Engle said several pharmacies in Muncie offer the flu vaccine and other immunizations. She encourages students to contact these locations for availability and insurance details.

Both Johnson and Engle emphasized the importance of empowering students to prioritize their health through vaccination. 

“One case of flu can derail a student’s academic experience,” Engle said. “Anything a student can do to reduce the severity of the disease and the need for hospitalizations increases their chances of having the kind of academic year they want and planned to have.”

Contact Meghan Braddy via email at meghan.braddy@bsu.edu or on X @meghan_braddy.

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