The Student Health Center has administered 308 flu vaccinations to Cerritos students, faculty and staff.

The SHC has a total of 500 vaccines to administer, according to Hillary Mennella, Interim Associate Dean at the Student Health and Wellness Center.

The SHC ordered 500 doses in the summer and they arrived late August.

“Our hope is to administer them to all students, faculty and staff,” Mennella said.

The vaccinations cost $5 for students and $15 for faculty and staff.

Since Oct. 1, the SHC has been administering the flu shots with no appointments necessary and on a walk-in basis.

Vaccine hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Students expressed concern over the lack of awareness among students regarding the flu vaccinations.

Vanessa Pena said, “I think it’s very important and people should know about it, but we don’t. It’s not very well advertised.”

308 vaccinations have been administered.

However, many students were not aware of them.

“I didn’t know that,” Dalena Pham, a medical assistance major, said.

Pham didn’t know about the flu vaccinations, but was glad that the SHC was offering them.

“I know a lot of people don’t get their flu shots because they don’t want to go out out of their way to go places, so the fact that it’s at the school, that’ll help them,” Pham said.

According to the CDC, flu season is very unpredictable and can vary from season to season.

The most common peak in flu activity is between December and February.

However, seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue to occur as late as May.

The problem with the flu virus is that it can be transmitted before a person knows he is sick.

People infected with the flu are able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop, and up to five to seven days after becoming sick with the flu, according to Menella.

Mennella stresses the importance of vaccination and proper hygiene.