The University of Wyoming is holding a contest to promote its new Facebook page, www.facebook.com/UWYO.Wellbeing,
devoted to the health, safety and general well-being of UW students and the university
community.
Fans of the page are invited to submit and vote on the best, worst, and silliest excuses
for not getting a flu shot. The five entries with the most "likes" will win gifts
certificates to the Wyoming Union food court.
The contest idea originated after UW physiology major Seth Mathern heard excuses such
as,"I didn't get the flu shot because I got the flu when I was younger."
"This is the kind of beautifully erroneous logic that results in pandemics," he says.
"The contest is a fun way to reward students for 'liking' our page, while at the same
time providing them with beneficial health information." For example, the Facebook
page will offer links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and
other sites that provide excellent information on the importance of flu shots.
The page is a collaboration of concerned UW students, Environmental Health & Safety,
Student Health Service and the College of Health Sciences.
"It is a good resource for the latest information on student well-being and safety-related
initiatives," says Nancy Fox, director of Environmental Health and Safety at UW. The
Facebook page will be continually updated with information about residence safety,
health alerts, flu shots, reports on laboratory accidents and related topics.
