SAN ANTONIO — With the first week of fall comes a cool breeze. And with the changing weather can impact our health—especially our immune systems.
The cooler weather can cause some to catch a cold or the flu, so University Health is trying to get ahead of the curve with its free vaccine drive-thru campaign Saturday to keep everyone safe.
It'll be happening from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at Freeman Coliseum located at 3201 E. Houston St. You can get the vaccine for free; you just need to register online before showing up.
University Health is making a big push in this campaign because they say prevention is key.
They say there was a surge in COVID cases this summer due to traveling.
UT Health’s Dr. Jason Bowling says those cases are starting to come down, but he also mentions that COVID, flu and RSV can go up again during the holidays.
“What we start to see is a change in the relative humidity. It gets a little bit drier, and it's thought that might allow some of these respiratory viruses to be more transmissible, transmit a little more easily. That, on top of travel, plus people being closer together because it's cold outside, all make a really nice environment,” Dr. Bowling said.
Right now, Bowling says they’re seeing a good amount of rhinovirus, which causes the common cold. Vaccines can really help everyone out.
Bowling says there’s a low vaccination rate in Bexar County, and this Saturday is their chance to make a change.
University Health plans to have three more vaccine events through November:
- Saturday, Oct. 12, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Southwest Independent School District, 11914 Dragon Lane
- Saturday, Oct. 26, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Gustafson Stadium, 7001 Culebra Road
- Saturday, Nov. 9, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Dub Farris Athletic Complex, 8400 North Loop 1604 W