Nuray Temiz, a first-year engineering student at MCCC, recalls her encounter with the flu over winter break.
“I was working every day over winter break, and then I got home one day and I could not get up,” she said. “I had to call out of work and I couldn’t go for like a week after it.”
Temiz’s experience reflects a broader trend. As flu cases rise across New Jersey and the country this winter, students are navigating illness without on-campus health services, raising concerns about access to care, vaccination, and the impact of missed work and classes.
In a survey of 35 students at Mercer County Community College, 25% reported being sick so far this semester.
“I was just sleeping the whole day— headache, fever. I think I had a fever of 102, it was so bad,” Temiz said.
Several students said they delayed getting vaccinated and later became seriously ill. Benjamin Martin, a second-year business administration major, said, “I was just too lazy to do it, then I ended up getting the flu.”
He continued, “It was a lot of fun, I got to be in bed for like two days. I barfed up everything I ate, and I couldn’t even drink water, it was terrible.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) weekly flu summary, about 18% of flu tests nationwide were positive as of Feb. 6.
In New Jersey, there was an 11% spike in flu rates between Dec. 20 and Jan. 3.
Dr. Laura Blinderman, a biology professor at MCCC, said, “I have a friend who’s a general practitioner, and she says the hospital has been filled with flu patients.”
In the same survey of MCCC students, about 8% indicated that they have not gotten their flu shot.
Temiz said that she did not get her flu vaccine this season. She said, “It’s just like, we never thought of getting it. It wasn’t a thing. I’m vaccinated [for COVID-19], but I just didn’t get the flu vaccine.”
Chloe Varnavas, a second-year business studies major, said, “My parents haven’t taken me in a few years.”
“It just hasn’t come up, to be honest. I haven’t asked,” she said.
“The single best way to reduce the risk of seasonal flu and its potentially serious complications is to get vaccinated each year,” the CDC states.
Ellen Genovesi, a biology professor at MCCC and chair spokesperson for the science program, said, “I got mine at CVS. They’re readily available at most pharmacies if you don’t have, like, a primary care physician you can go to. You can just book an appointment online.”
The college previously offered student sickness insurance but discontinued coverage, according to its website, which states: “Beginning with the fall 2013 semester, MCCC will no longer provide student sickness insurance coverage and will no longer include a health insurance fee on students’ billing statements.”
MCCC directed students to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) instead, stating that students are responsible for obtaining their own coverage.
Dr. Blinderman said, “For employees we had free flu shots, it was an event for faculty and staff called Flu Fare.”
Flu Fare was not for students, only staff and faculty. However, flu fare is no longer offered, reducing staff access to free vaccinations.
MCCC does not provide vaccines or on-campus health services and does not offer student health insurance coverage. As flu season persists, staying healthy at MCCC often depends on resources students must find beyond campus.
