Two shipments of flu shot vaccines that were expected to arrive at the ASU Campus Health Service this week have been delayed, postponing scheduled shots this month, according to campus health officials.
Campus Health is hoping the 5,000 vaccines will arrive in the next two weeks.
The health center is not scheduling any new flu shot appointments until they are certain of the arrival date, said Lori Lynn, a nursing supervisor at Campus Health.
"The two distributors we get the vaccines from notified us that they received the shipment, but we don't know when it will arrive," Lynn said.
UA also has yet to get their vaccines.
"It depends on which manufacturer you go through," Lynn said. "Some companies are taking longer than others."
So far the Campus Health Service has only scheduled appointments for ASU faculty and staff because more of them turn out to get shots than students.
"We can give shots to nearly 1,500 employees in one sitting," Lynn said. "With students, there is no large turnout, so we give them the option of making an appointment or walking in."
The Maricopa County Department of Public Health recommends getting flu shots in November or December, and usually an estimated 2,000 ASU students get the shot in winter months, Lynn said.
Design management senior Crystal Curtis said she thinks it's important to get a flu shot every year.
"I don't want to get sick, so it makes sense to do everything I can to prevent it," Curtis said.
Tiana Trimble, a design management junior, said she usually gets a flu shot every two to three years.
"Sometimes I still get the flu, even after I get a shot," Trimble said. "I think it just doesn't work for some people."
Students who choose not to get the vaccine can take steps to protect themselves from getting the flu.
The Maricopa County Health Department advises avoiding close contact with people who are sick, frequent hand washing and avoiding touching the nose and mouth, according to a public health notice it released.
"It's all about having good hygiene," Lynn said.
Reach the reporter at: natalie.i.hayes@asu.edu.
