By TAYLOR MORRIS
Student Reporter
Here at Northwestern, incoming students must have a certain number of vaccinations to attend the university.
According to Northwestern’s school website, entering students must show proof by filling out a Student Immunization form that they’ve had their vaccinations for hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella. International students they are required to have a tuberculosis skin test and provide proof of negative test results in the United States. If the test result is positive than the student must have a chest X-ray to verify that they do not have TB.
Northwestern’s nursing program actually requires nursing students to have more vaccinations than an average student. The nursing’s faculty require this because nursing students are with clients in a clinical setting. Nursing students could encounter many more harmful illnesses than any other student. So, for example, they are required to have a flu shot every year.
Beginning the process of taking vaccinations at a young age can immensely help a person build up their immunity disease that are out there. According to Leslie Collins, assistant chair in the Division of Nursing, “I feel that is it important for us to ensure that our children have those as well because they don’t have the voice and the knowledge to be able to say I do or I don’t want this. Obviously it is an injection and it will be a little painful, but the whole process definitely has meaning behind it and we are seeing a lot of open cases that could have been prevented had proper immunization schedules been completed.”
Many people do have a fear or a certain reluctance about vaccinations. Some are afraid of vaccines because they are putting something foreign that was made in a lab into their bodies. Some have even linked certain vaccines with autism and other types of diseases. However, according to Collins, “What’s important about that is that you educate yourself with good material and with good articles that come from peer-reviewed journals that tell you the correct information that you’re looking at and not just something that you read on Facebook or something like that. Ask your doctor or your physician or health care provider because there are some immunizations that people that have other diseases may not need to take, but that’s again why it is so important that you got see your physician and you talk about these things — that you don’t just make that decision on your own because most of the time they are needed.”
Those wishing to update their vaccinations can do so at the Woods County Health Department, located downtown in the square of Alva on 511 Barnes. They have fee schedule at a cheaper rate for students who do not have full-time income. Flu shots also are available at Holder Drug in Alva on 513 Barnes Ave.
For more information on vaccinations and their importance, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov.