Tuesday, March 9, 2010
It was around this time last year when reports of H1N1 and the unknown extent of its looming death toll spread the globe in a pandemic of fear.
Although the casualties haven’t been as gruesome as projected, and though flu season is winding down, doctors are still weary of a possible swine flu resurgence.
“This year has been unlike any flu season that I have had in my medical career,” said Patricia Denning, chief of staff for Student Health Services. “We cannot be surprised if we have a resurgence because it is not following the usual patterns. All bets are off.”
Although H1N1 is unpredictable, Denning said, it’s easy to predict how spring break often makes students susceptible to illness.
“On an airplane you have a couple hundred people packed like sardines, shoulder to shoulder, and people are coughing, they’re spraying the air around you,” she said. “So I would encourage people, particularly if you’re going to be flying, to come in and get a flu and H1N1 shot.”
While reminding students of free H1N1 vaccines, members of the University Wellness Group will be on campus today and tomorrow encouraging students to be safe and healthy during spring break.
They will be handing out attention-getting whistles attached to information and tips on how to enjoy the holiday responsibly, as well as safer sex and first aid kits.
“Whether they’re going to go some place they’ve never been before, out of the country, in the country, or maybe they’re just going back home, we just want to get them prepped for their trips,” said Jenny McKee, a health educator for Student Health Services.
The “Safer Spring Break 2010” information cards she’ll be handing out this week offer tips on how to prepare, travel and drink responsibly during spring break.
Excessive drinking, unsanitary travel conditions, lack of sleep and lack of nutrients are all common encounters on on spring break. According to Patty Quinlan, nursing supervisor for Student Health Services, it’s the combination that can weaken a person’s immune system, making them highly susceptible to viruses such as H1N1.
Quinlan said safety precautions focused on hygiene would be most effective in warding off viruses.
“Use the hand sanitizer as much as you can, cover your cough and don’t share drinks with other people,” she said.
— Edited by Michael Holtz
Students can avoid flu with proper precautions
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