Pharmacy Students Immunize UK Board of Trustee Members

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 3, 2017) -- Operation Immunization is in full swing as students from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy help to immunize the University community while educating the public on the importance of receiving their vaccines.

On October 20, pharmacy students provided members of the UK Board of Trustees and a variety of UK administrators with their influenza (flu) vaccinations.

Members of the of the Kentucky Alliance of Pharmacy Students (KAPS) are taking every opportunity to educate the public about what a pharmacist can do for them. Through campaigns like Operation Immunization, KAPS is able to help make vaccinations more accessible to a wider audience.

“It’s not really fall on campus until you receive your flu shot from one of the nation’s best pharmacy students,” said Kelly Smith, president-elect of American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and associate dean of Academic and Student Affairs at UK College of Pharmacy. “This is a chance for our students to refine skills essential to their careers in pharmacy, and it allows us to shine a spotlight on this important public health issue.”

“The annual flu vaccine is the best way to avoid getting the flu and spreading it to others,” said second-year pharmacy student Emily Duncan. “Plus, you can’t get the flu from the vaccine.”

Experts recommend everyone six months and older should get the flu vaccine. This includes people who work in healthcare settings or with children and the elderly.

Pharmacists are now heavily involved with the immunization process, with most pharmacies offering influenza vaccinations to the public. UK's second and third-year pharmacy students were recently trained in administering the vaccine, and use campaigns like Operation Immunization to spread the word