VUMC hosted the 12th annual Flulapalooza on Sept. 25. Vanderbilt students, faculty and community members lined up behind Light Hall to receive free flu shots. The event offered three vaccine options — Fluarix for individuals six months to 64 years of age, Fluad for individuals 65 years and older and Flucelvax for those with severe reactions to prior influenza vaccines.
The event, an established tradition for the Vanderbilt community, featured mascots, educational stands and photo booths. Flulapalooza started in 2011 as a test for Vanderbilt’s mass vaccination plan and has expanded to an annual kickoff to the flu season.
Ana Nobis, medical director of occupational health and a volunteer at the event, shared her experiences from past years.
“I’ve been at Vanderbilt for about six years, and this is my second Flulapalooza as the medical director of occupational health,” Nobis said. “It has been described as Vanderbilt’s family reunion.”
Nobis said she is “proud” of the Guinness World Record Flulapalooza holds for most vaccines given in one location — 12,850 in 2011.
Senior Zoe Shaham said she has come to Flulapalooza since her first year at Vanderbilt.
“It’s like a tradition of sorts,” Shaham said. “I’ve had the flu, and it sucks. I’m going to do whatever possible not to get it.”
The event requires a significant number of organizers, volunteers and nurses. Nurse practitioner and occupational health clinic manager Catherine Qian led planning the event this year.
“I think it’s really taken the village. There are probably about 300 volunteers. We have health, pharmacy, central supply, police and security,” Qian said. “We start planning each year in the month of April to get ready for September.”
Despite a hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Flulapalooza has reduced the average time taken to administer and document a shot from 90 seconds in its inaugural year to 55 seconds this year. Furthermore, with continuous improvements in logistics and technology, what once took 44 stations now takes just 18 to administer the same amount of vaccinations.
First-year Sasha Stenson said she was impressed with the efficiency of the process.
“It was super fast. Even though they had technical difficulties because I’m a minor, they got through it so quickly,” Stenson said.
