Upcoming flu clinic in SUNY Geneseo

SUNY Geneseo Lauderdale Health and Counseling Center is hosting a flu clinic for Geneseo students in MacVittie College Union Ballroom.

Students only need to bring their insurance cards to get their free flu shots, according to the Geneseo Website, on Sept. 23, Oct. 14, Oct. 19, and Oct. 28; the clinic opens at 1 p.m. on each available date.

Geneseo has been hosting flu clinics for staff and students alike for many years. According to the Center for Disease Control, flu symptoms include “Fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue (tiredness), among other symptoms”.

The CDC also explains that people are most contagious in the first three to four days after infection, which means avoiding contact with people, surfaces, and areas. So, if you are feeling sick, head to the health center to get confirmation and be excused from classes. While most professors are not strict about documentation, some can be, and it is always better to cover your bases.

According to WebMD, the best ways to feel better sooner include:

1. Drinking a lot of fluids, including water and electrolytes, to help your body fight infections. Tea also helps with a sore throat if you add honey.

2. Eating, even if you feel sick, to ensure that you have something in your stomach instead of just liquids. Crackers and soup are a good way to go when it comes to sore throats.

3. Treat aches and pains with over-the-counter medication to get fevers or pain down, or even treat coughs.

4. Sit in a room with steam or a humidifier to help break up congestion.

5. If your symptoms persist or you feel like something is wrong, go to the doctor. Our instincts often prove to be right and if something is up, you will know.

6. Veg out! Throw on movies or music in the background to give your mind something to do

when you cannot sleep but need to rest.

7. Most of all, when you are sick, you need to rest and recuperate. You can do your work when you feel a bit better. We are all human, and that is okay—everyone gets sick at some point.

The flu can sometimes knock people down hard, and even the flu shot can have more of an effect than the flu; either way, prevention and protection really are the ways to go when it comes to being sick. You come first in this regard, so help your body get back to normal by not just powering through the flu, but intentionally resting and relaxing.