Relieved students get flu shots

By Rachel Schwartz

After some confusion and last-minute planning, the Cowell Student Health Center and Maxim Health Systems were able to host a flu vaccination clinic for Santa Clara students Monday.

Nurses from Maxim arrived at the Casa Italiana Residence Hall Commons at 6:30 a.m. Monday to set up the clinic that lasted from 7:30 a.m., until the last student received his shot around 2:30 p.m.

A steady stream of students and faculty flowed through the clinic, filling out the appropriate paperwork before taking a seat in front of one of the four nurses for the shot. Many were grateful for the shots.

"It's ridiculous for a student health center not to have flu shots," senior Regina Patzelt said. "If I didn't get one here, I would have gone to Rite-Aid or something."

Most students said that they had heard about the clinic from the e-mails that Cowell sent out.

"We got a call on Thursday that they (Maxim) were able to secure some doses, so we scrambled and found a room for Monday," said Peggie Robinson, Cowell clinic manger.

The clinic was uneventful, according to Pat Belwarld-Jones, one of the nurses at the clinic. Only two students had adverse reactions, one fainted and one became light-headed. Both were fine after resting, she said.

"Nobody likes needles, but people handled it extremely well today," she said.

The average wait for a shot was less than five minutes, and the nurses kept the atmosphere light by cracking jokes as they prepared the shots.

Blake de Maria, an assistant professor in the art history department, said that it was her students that motivated her to get a flu shot this year, her first ever.

"Cowell had previously told students that, because of shortages, shots would be unavailable until later this month.