Students warned of worsening flu
Flu season is here, but according to information by the USU Student Health and Wellness Center, it could be worse than usual.
Jim Davis, the director of the Wellness Center, said students are starting to come in with the flu, and even with the flu shot it is possible that students aren’t completely protected.
“There is some information about a strain of flu that is in Georgia that didn’t show up until after the creation of this year’s vaccine,” Davis said. “So there is a strain we are not protected against.”
Davis said the health center is just starting to see the problems that are coming about because of this year’s flu season, but the flu season already seems worse than last year.
“Students at other universities are experiencing more cases than usual, and so I figure we will too,” Davis said.
Davis said students who already have the flu should be wary of spreading it to other people.
“I wouldn’t sit in a large class room and cough,” Davis said. “Attend class if you have to, cover your cough, hydrate and self-care.”
Davis said students who haven’t already been exposed to this year’s flu should take precautions from getting it.
“If students are not exposed, they might consider getting the flu shot,” Davis said. “If there are students that are queasy when it comes to needles, there are medicines that can be used for preventing the flu, but it does cost $85 a course.”
Davis said he thinks the best way to keep the flu from passing from student to student is for students to be aware that the illness is out there and prepare for it.
“Be cautious,” Davis said. “This is a significant illness, and it will affect a large number of the student body, so watch out for pneumonia and strep throat popping up from the flu.”
Davis said if students start to feel sick, the first step to getting over the flu is recognizing that it is the flu and not another illness. Some symptoms, he said, include fever, nausea, a dry cough and body aches. If a student feels these symptoms, Davis said to treat the aches and avoid contact with other people.
“Be careful about going to class, but only miss classes you can afford to because professors often won’t recognize it as a valid excuse for missing class,” he said.
Davis said the flu this year is bad, but students can take measures to protect themselves.
“The East Coast has been seeing this for three weeks,” Davis said. “It is so bad that schools are thinking about modifying their school schedule, so students here need to watch for it.”
-debrajoy.h@aggiemail.usu.edu