By Mark Rizzo

With students gearing up to fight another onslaught of flu season, the members of the university came together yesterday to offer help.

The second annual Bouv’eacute; Health Fair and Flu Clinic was held Wednesday in the Curry Student Center’s Indoor Quad. The event, organized by the Bouv’eacute; College of Health Sciences and Phi Delta Chi fraternity, brought student groups together to offer a number of services to promote healthy living on campus.

“We had usually done individual clinics and tables,” said Steven Bird, president of Phi Delta Chi. “My idea was to put all the tables together in one event.”

There were 40 tables set up at the event, offering health services ranging from blood and bone marrow donations, cholesterol screenings and body fat testing.

One of the most popular features of the fair was the free flu shots, provided by the school and given by the university’s pharmacy staff and nursing faculty. Bird said that while last year’s fair had also had flu shots, this was the first time they had been done by the school, and the first time they were free.

Bird said the shots were previously administered by a private company that charged $24 a shot.

Bird said they gave 200 flu shots last year, a number he had hoped to increase to as many as 900 shots yesterday. Staff gave 400 shots by noon.

A line of about 20 people waited outside the ballroom where the shots were given, and nursing staff busily moved people to the next open station.

“It’s wonderful,” said Kathleen Jurgens, a clinical instructor at the School of Nursing, in between helping people in the hectic ballroom. “We’ve got good teamwork, and good synergy.”

Students who stopped by the clinic were impressed by the speed and expertise shown by the staff.

“It was actually surprisingly quick. As soon as I got in there, they sat me down and gave me the shot,” said Glen Chiacchieri, a freshman engineering major.

Justin Alves, a freshman nursing major, said he was surprised by the efficiency.

“I wasn’t here for even five minutes,” Alves said. “I was in and out. It was painless.”

Other events were set up throughout the Curry Student Center. Alves said he was impress by all that was offered.

“I looked around, and I actually decided to become a bone marrow donor,” he said.

While taking precautions can help prevent catching diseases like the flu, some students said they’re prepared for the possibility.

“Tylenol and aspirin”, said Chris Williams, a biomedical physics middler. “Just kind of take it easy.”