While coughs and sniffles remind us that flu season is here, some students have no interest in getting a flu shot vaccination.

Influenza causes 36,000 deaths and 114,000 hospitalizations annually, according to stjude.org.

Millions of vaccines are given each season, but Halie Bulloch said she is in no rush to get a shot.

She said she doesn’t see the need for it.

“People get the shot and still get the flu, so there’s no point,” said Bulloch, a freshman elementary education major.

Bulloch said she takes plenty of vitamins as an alternative.

Kennedy Edwards sees it differently. In one of his class courses, he learned that the creators of the flu shot have to figure out which strains will be the most common each year.

That way they can get it right and protect against all the viruses, or get it wrong and not protect against the common flu strain of that year.

“Even if it’s only 20 percent effective, that 20 percent on top of good hygiene is better than just hand washing alone,” said Edwards, a sophomore nursing major.

Edwards said if you are able to get the shot for free or a reasonable price then it can end up saving you money in the long run.

Howard Mcbroom Jr., LPN at Liberty Health Care in Bastrop Louisiana, gave tips on how to stay healthy during the winter and flu season.

He said you should avoid sharing items with others and stay out of reach from anyone who is sick.He said the most important thing is to wash your hands frequently and always before you eat.

Mcbroom also said those who get the flu should stay home.