Risk Reduction

UHCOP Students, Walgreens and H.O.M.E.S. Clinic Partner to Provide Seasonal Flu Immunizations to Houston's Homeless

UH College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. students partnered with Walgreens and the H.O.M.E.S. Clinic to provide free seasonal flu immunizations to individuals in Houston's homeless community.

UHCOP students immunized 35 patients at the H.O.M.E.S. Clinic, a multidisciplinary clinic run by medical students from Baylor College of Medicine and UTHealth and pharmacy students from UH College of Pharmacy. Opened in 2000 under the auspices of the nonprofit Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston, H.O.M.E.S. operates every Sunday to provide primary care to Houston's homeless. 

UHCOP students provided 50 flu immunizations last October at the start of the 2014-15 flu season, which marks the third consecutive season of the UHCOP-Walgreens-H.O.M.E.S. partnership. More than 200 individuals have been immunized through the initiative.  

With spring not to far away for Southeast Texas, one might think that February is late in the season to worry about catching the flu or getting immunized to reduce the risk of catching it. But, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, "The timing of flu is very unpredictable and can vary in different parts of the country and from season to season. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the U.S. between December and February. However, seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue to occur as late as May."