Penn wants faculty and staff to stay free of sniffles, sneezes, and coughs during the impending flu season and is offering on-campus flu shots to part-time and full-time employees to help them ward off influenza.

The Division of Human Resources (HR) has teamed up with Occupational Medicine to provide flu shots at a reduced price ($25, cash only).

Faculty and staff can get a flu shot on Tuesday, Nov. 20, Wednesday, Nov. 28, and Thursday, Nov. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Wharton School, and the School of Nursing. Pre-registration is required.

To pre-register, visit the HR online course catalog and click on the flu shot prompt box. Select a preferred time and date. Click on the “Register For Course” icon at the bottom of the page and follow the prompts. A PennKey is required.

Employees can pick up an insurance reimbursement form on site. Remember to bring your PennCard and wear clothing that allows for easy access to your upper arm.

Marilyn Kraut, human resources director of HR’s Quality of Work Life programs, says getting vaccinated in November should provide optimal immunity for the flu, which typically peaks in the Philadelphia area between March and April.

When the flu vaccination program was started in 1998, Kraut says Penn provided 381 employees with flu shots. By 2000 that number rose to 1,283, and by 2006 it increased to 1,432. Kraut says the number of participants has remained above 1,000 ever since.