The University is hedging its bets on beating this winter’s flu through a pack of tissues, four hand sanitizers and an information card on ways to stay healthy.
By this time in an average school year, Georgetown’s Student Health Center would have offered nearly 3,000 doses of influenza vaccine to the student body. Ten thousand dollars normally earmarked for purchasing vaccines will instead be spent on nearly 2,000 of the informative kits.
Students stricken by the flu can receive a kit including Tylenol, Robitussin cough syrup and a thermometer.
The packs were the most feasible alternative in light of the nation-wide flu vaccine shortage, according to Assistant Vice President for Student Health Dr. James Welsh.
“Taking a preventive step was the best and most logical use of the money this year,” he said.
The kits have left doubt among some students about the University’s capacity to help this season’s flu victims.
Sasha Kinney (SFS ‘06), Resident Assistant on the third floor of McCarthy Hall, said that when she went to retrieve packets for her floor on Tuesday, none were available.
“I guess some RAs took too many,” she said.
Welsh said that Health and Education Services produced one flu packet per each dorm room, apartment and on- and off-campus townhouse.
