Flu

Student Health Services offers the quadrivalent seasonal flu vaccine at Redfern Health Center. Schedule an appointment online in MyHealth-e or by calling 864-656-3562.

Cost and Coverage

Most flu vaccines given in the pharmacy will be covered by insurance at no cost to you. If not covered, the flu vaccine costs $48. This can be paid at the time of service or added to your Student Account. Acceptable forms of payment include check, debit, credit, Apple Pay, HSA and Tiger stripe. You can also pay for your flu vaccine online in MyHealth-e.

If you have the Clemson University Student Health Insurance Plan, the vaccine is covered 100% when received at Redfern or through any Preferred Provider.

The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections or hospitalizations. Flu can have very serious associated complications. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently.

• Cold Versus Flu (CDC)
• Flu Symptoms (CDC)

• If you get a cold, get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids to keep your body hydrated.

  • The Best Things to Eat and Drink When You Have a Cold

• Many over-the-counter cold medications are available in the pharmacy at Redfern Health Center. While these medicines can’t cure a cold, they can help reduce cold symptoms. Antibiotics will NOT help you recover from a cold.

Seek a medical provider if you have one or more of the following:

• A temperature higher than 100.4^o F

• Symptoms that last more than 10 days

• Symptoms that are severe or unusual

It is expected that most people will recover without needing medical care.

If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact Redfern or another health-care provider to get medical care. If Redfern is closed, see after-hours/urgent care options. There are drugs your doctor may prescribe for treating the flu called "antivirals." If started within two days of becoming sick, antiviral drugs can lessen symptoms and help prevent serious complications. 

• If you are sick, you should stay home and limit contact with other people, except to seek medical care. The CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines. Some people with influenza will not have fever; therefore, absence of fever does not mean absence of infection. Isolate yourself during this time period even if you are taking antiviral drugs for treatment of the flu.

• If you leave the house to seek medical care, wear a facemask, if available and tolerable. Always cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. In general, you should avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness.

• If you are sick and sharing common spaces with other household members, wear a facemask if available to help prevent spreading the virus to others.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.

Seek a medical provider if you have one or more of the following:

• A temperature higher than 100.4^o F

• Symptoms that last more than 10 days

• Symptoms that are severe or unusual

For additional information and advice about the flu, please see CDC Influenza (Flu).

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include the following:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

• Sudden dizziness

• Confusion

• Severe or persistent vomiting

• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

If you are concerned about your illness or develop severe symptoms, such as increased fever, shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, or rapid breathing, seek care immediately at Redfern or from another health-care provider.

• Get a flu shot

• Avoid touching face (eyes, nose, mouth)

• Avoid close contact with sick persons

• Wash hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer

• Get plenty of sleep

• Exercise regularly

• Manage stress levels

The CDC recommends a yearly seasonal flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal flu. While there are many different flu viruses, the seasonal flu vaccine protects against the main seasonal flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season. The seasonal flu vaccine can protect you from getting sick from these viruses, or it can make your illness milder if you get a related flu virus. The seasonal flu vaccine will provide protection against the H1N1 influenza as well.

• Misconceptions About Seasonal Flu and Flu Vaccines
• Flu Vaccines Work

During a surge in the number of flu cases, Student Health Services will do everything possible to meet the health-care needs of the students. However, due to high demand for services, it may be difficult to secure a timely appointment with a health-care provider and wait times may increase. If your symptoms are not severe and there are no other risk factors, you should isolate yourself from others, rest, drink plenty of fluids and monitor your condition until 24 hours after the fever is gone.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control