With flu season just arriving, the flu vaccine is now available to San Diego State students at Calpulli Center for $15. Student Health Services Medical Director Gregg Lichtenstein said it’s imperative for students to get the vaccine early because not only are they putting themselves at higher risk, they’re running the risk of infecting others. Lichtenstein refers to “herd immunity,” a theory that describes how vaccinating a large group of people that early lowers the chances of the flu spreading to those who haven’t been immunized.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. flu season typically starts as early as October and lasts until as late as May. Lichtenstein said the vaccine is effective for about a year and recommends revaccination each season.

“The immunity you get peaks and then drops over time,” Lichtenstein said. “By the end of the year, you need to get revaccinated to boost your immunity.”

Lichtenstein recommends making an appointment to get a vaccination to minimize wait time. He said this vaccination is particularly important because it protects against different strains than previous years.

“The CDC gets flu experts together every spring. They look at the strains of flu circulating around the world,” Lichtenstein said. “They look at ones on the uprising, the ones with a high likelihood of spreading to other areas in the world.”

Based on these predictions, the CDC decides which strains are the biggest threat. Each vaccination usually includes three different strains.

This year, the swine flu virus, will once again be included, as it has in the past few years. The other two strains were not in the vaccinations of the past few years.

The CDC recommends anyone older than six months old, which includes the person reading this, should get vaccinated.

In addition to getting the vaccine, Lichtenstein suggests students wash their hands frequently and avoid coughing and sneezing into their hands.

For more information about the flu vaccine, visit cdc.gov.