Written by Jack Freedman, Staff Writer

With flu season upon us, teachers, faculty and students are encouraged to get their flu shots. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor offers flu shots on the third floor of Mabee Student Union.

“I have seen students who have flu symptoms and have been diagnosed with flu,” health services coordinator Dr. Ping Chen said. “Usually, this is about the time flu starts to happen among students and in the population.”

As of fall 2025, several new strains of influenza A and influenza B have been documented worldwide. New vaccines that were tested during Australia’s flu season have proven effective against these strains and are now being administered in the U.S.

As important as it is to make sure you are protected from the flu, it is also important to be careful. If you are allergic to egg whites or egg proteins, it is advised that you talk to a doctor about an alternative vaccine, as flu shots use these proteins as an ingredient.

“[The shots] can still cause some allergic reactions in some patients,” Dr. Chen said. “Even though it’s very safe, it’s proven to be pretty safe for the majority of the population, I always like to have patients go back to talk to their physicians about it.”

Dr. Chen orders 300 doses of the flu vaccine at a time. She administers an average of 10 to 12 vaccines per day, occasionally giving as many as 17 in one day.