As the weather gets colder and flu season approaches, students at Stony Brook University will now be able to get influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations at clinics hosted by CVS Pharmacy on campus.
This year will be the sixth year that the University has arranged for the clinics to take place on campus. The next vaccine clinic that CVS will host will be in the Stony Brook Union Ballroom on Monday, Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The vaccines are free and can be scheduled by appointment through the Student Health and Counseling Center and CVS’s website. The vaccination clinics are held at both the West and the Southampton campuses.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were an estimated 34 to 75 million influenza illnesses that infected people in the United States from Oct. 1, 2023 through April 30; in addition, roughly one billion cases of influenza are reported annually.
While the COVID-19 global health emergency declaration ended in May of 2023, the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recorded 417 cases of COVID-19 across all five NYC boroughs from Sept. 19-26.
Though cases of influenza remain nationally low, people continue to get vaccinated to reduce the likelihood of getting sick.
Since the pharmacy chain began partnering with universities in 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, CVS now offers free vaccinations in a multitude of states. After finding out about this, Dr. Marisa Bisiani, the associate vice president of Student Health, Wellness and Prevention Services, initiated the University’s partnership with CVS in 2019. Bisiani oversees the arrangements and services offered by the on-campus clinics.
Bisiani said that the vaccination clinics are an important initiative intended to increase the campus community’s access to vaccinations.
“The goal of the vaccination clinics is to make vaccination as convenient as possible for students, faculty and staff, with the broader objective of protecting public health and reducing the spread of illness[es] on campus,” Bisiani said.
She said that the collaboration between Stony Brook University and CVS is an excellent example of how public health can be promoted amongst the student body.
“CVS brings a wealth of experience in vaccination and healthcare services, and by partnering with them, we are able to expand our bandwidth,” Bisiani said. “This partnership enhances the health and wellness of our students and staff by making vaccinations readily available.”
In a statement provided by a CVS spokesperson, they wrote, “Businesses, senior living facilities, schools, municipalities and other groups may also schedule an on-site flu vaccination clinic staffed by qualified CVS Pharmacy immunizers to help make vaccines convenient and accessible to employees, staff, residents and students. On-site vaccine clinics are available in all states and Washington D.C. and for other vaccinations as well. More information, including the ability to schedule a vaccination clinic, is available at https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/flu/clinics.”
By combining the needs of the campus with the corporation’s ample resources, CVS will be able to bring their pharmaceutical expertise while Stony Brook University provides a convenient location for the campus community to receive healthcare services, according to Bisiani.
Due to the positive impacts of the clinics on Stony Brook students, Bisiani is optimistic that they will return to campus in the future.
“The demand for convenient access to vaccinations, especially for flu and COVID-19, is warranted,” Bisiani said. “As public health needs evolve, so will our efforts to meet them, and I see this partnership growing stronger.”
Bisiani emphasized that the goal of the vaccination clinics is to ensure that as many people as possible get vaccinated.
“By increasing accessibility and convenience, we are helping to protect not just ourselves, but the entire campus community,” Bisiani said. “Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of diseases, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of these clinics to safeguard their health and that of those around them.”
