Free shots! Happy hour or the flu?

The waiting room was packed. The line wrapped around the walls. Some were sick but there were so many people. There was a good chance I was going to catch the virus before I even received the vaccine. But at least it was free. Right?

Not only will a universal health-care plan not work, but also making vaccinations free will not solve the current health crisis. When health care becomes free, lines, waiting and supply becomes a major issue. It represents the basic definition of supply and demand, which is based on price, utility and quantity in the market.

This year, GCSU offered a flu shot for free to all students who presented their student ID. The school ran out of the 450 vaccines after the second day. Five hundred more vaccinations have been ordered, but the health center does not know how long it will be before they arrive.

According to Dr. Alice Loper, the physician on staff at GCSU, “Money is the issue.”

Students are more willing to get the shot for free rather than paying this year’s price of $20 for the flu shot.

Why is the university giving away flu shots when in reality, it will not prevent students and faculty from getting swine flu? The seasonal influenza shot will not protect people from the H1N1 virus. There is not a swine flu vaccine available to the public.

What is quite humorous is the fact that GCSU gave out free flu shots, a vaccination that has nothing to do with swine flu. This will not slow down the current pandemic. What if the government gave out free chickenpox vaccinations during an outbreak of small pox?

GCSU is one of very few schools that is giving out a flu shot for free. This vaccination is not mysteriously going to prevent someone from getting the virus.

One October afternoon in 2008, I walked into the MSU Lounge to receive my flu shot. The only crowd was a group of nursing students. One of the women explained that I was one of a few who had showed up that day. Not many students were willing to pay $25 for a flu shot.

Last year, approximately 50 to 75 GCSU students paid the $25 and received their flu shot the first day. This year, 250 shots were administered at no charge during the first day.

Of course, one may argue that the swine flu has frightened many people, therefore, that could explain the sudden increase in numbers, but the flu vaccine will not keep you from getting swine flu.

Students need to understand the consequences of a universal health-care plan. Nothing is ever “free.” The new health-care plan would be paid for through higher taxes. Even the flu shot was not free for students. The health clinic reduced spending and made cuts in the budget in order for students to be able to have a “free” shot.

According to President Barack Obama, “We spend much more on health care than any other nation.”

Though this may be true, the United States has one of the best health-care systems because citizens pay for their own health-care benefits and do not rely on the government. When health care becomes “free,” doctor availability becomes very limited.

One thing Americans need to remember is that health care is accessible to anyone that needs it.

Research shows that the virus is not any more harmful to humans than the common influenza virus. There is a vaccine currently being produced that will hopefully become available to the public soon. Fortunately, the virus is curable with a week of bed rest and fluids, should the government pay for that too?

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 4 2009. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry