By Eric Villanueva ’11
THE ROUNDUP

Brophy, in partnership with Mollen Clinic, will host a flu shot clinic for students and faculty Wednesday, Oct. 20.

Parents and students are asked to go https://register.flushotusa.com/schools and select Arizona, K-12, Catholic Schools – Diocese of Phoenix, Brophy, which will bring up the registration document.

The vaccine is covered by insurance, but if a student does not have insurance the vaccine will be provided to the student free of charge, according to Dean Mr. Jim Bopp in an e-mail.

According to Mr. Bopp, vaccination is of particular importance to anyone who has contact with young children and the elderly as well as fellow students.

“It’s important for a student’s own health and well being, as well as the health and well being of the school and his family and friends, that he makes an effort to vaccinate himself,” Mr. Bopp.

Mr. Bopp wrote that immunizing as many people as possible is important to prevent the spread of the flu at school.

“The flu is an inconvenience for some, but for others it can be life-threatening and so it’s important for all of us to work together to prevent the spread of the flu,” he said.

In the December Edition of The Roundup last year, Mr. Bopp said absent rates in early October spiked to eight or 10 percent of the student population on any given day.

This year’s vaccine protects against H1N1 swine flu and two other flu strains, according to Ms. Theresa Angus, assistant to the dean of students.

It takes two weeks for immunity to develop, and protection lasts for one year, Ms. Angus said in an e-mail.