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TCU nursing students want fellow Horned Frogs to arm themselves with the flu vaccine, and they’re taking extra measures to make this year’s flu clinic convenient and safe.

A collaborative effort between Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences and Campus Recreation & Wellness Promotion, the annual clinic provides free flu vaccinations to TCU students, faculty and staff members. Hosted outdoors this year, the clinic will be held under a tent in the Campus Commons from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Secure your vaccination today by registering at cutt.ly/tcufluclinic and help keep our community healthy.

“By vaccinating early before the onset of influenza, our goal is to reduce the circulation of both COVID-19 and influenza in our community,” said Sharon Canclini, assistant professor of professional practice in Harris College. “Each decision related to this event has been vetted through the Centers for Disease Control, either through the CDC 2020 Guidance During Pandemic or via personal phone calls with CDC agents for items needing more specific answers. We also leaned on our colleagues and community experts to help us weave together a safe vaccination program.”

Student organizers hope to distribute 2,500 doses of the influenza vaccine to the TCU community during the one-day event. Along with the general  campus  population, the nursing school is focusing on populations they consider most  vulnerable:  students living in group housing, students at risk of bringing influenza into at-risk populations, staff who work in the community and faculty (especially at-risk faculty). 

Hosting a flu shot clinic in the midst of a pandemic required creative planning, guidance from the CDC as well as local experts, and new safety measures.

Among the biggest changes will be the importance of advanced online registration at cutt.ly/tcufluclinic. Participants must show their registration confirmation as well as swipe their TCU ID card to receive a vaccination. Walk-up reservations may be made on the day of the event, either through the online registration link or at a walk-up registration table. Pre-registration is highly recommended.

The clinic can accommodate 120 reservations every 30 minutes. Due to the limited supply of vaccinations and physical distancing protocols, organizers are asking participants to register as early as possible.

The outdoor tent venue is also new, but will better accommodate social distancing than an indoor event. Signage will direct traffic flow along the pathways and barriers will be set up to prevent wrong-way entrance.

Additional safety precautions:

  • Masks will be required by everyone at all times within the flu clinic space.
  • Spacemarkers will be placed along the “lines” to remind people to wait 6 feet apart.
  • Hand sanitizer will be available at entry, paperwork tables and immunization stations.
  • Pens will not be reused.
  • Volunteer shifts are limited to two hours and are only open to nursing students who— as required for their clinical experiences—have been trained in personal protective skills and social distancing protocols during a pandemic.
  • Nursing students will wear N95 masks and eye protection.
  • Those receiving vaccinations will face away from the vaccinator to avoid breathing in the face of the nursing student.

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