NIU students should get their flu shots before it’s too late and flu season has arrived.

“The flu, a popular name for influenza, is a virus infection common during the winter months. It causes sore throat, runny nose, coughing, fever and muscle pains for up to a week,” said a representative from the Community Health Education Service at Kishwaukee Community Hospital.

According to the Health Education Service, the high risk groups expected for this year among NIU students are people with heart or lung disease and people with diabetes.

Students should avoid “persons in the same room that are coughing or sneezing, because the flu spreads quickest in the classroom,” the representative said.

The Health Education Service said people infected with the virus should not go to school, in order to stop the virus from spreading.

However, NIU sophomore Christina Ball said, “It’s hard to avoid catching the flu when you have a roommate that won’t stop coughing and sneezing.”

To avoid missing days of school, students should “immediately get a flu shot during the months of September, October, and November when the immunization will have maximum protection that will last for up to six months,” the representative said.

“Any person who decides to get a flu shot after they are already infected with the virus shouldn’t because it will be too late for the shot to do any good.”

Flu shots will be available for $5 on Nov. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the DeKalb County Health Department.

Flu shots also are available for $5 on weekdays from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. at the University Health Service.

For any information concerning influenza, call the University Health Service at 753-1311.