H1N1 Flu Accompanies College Students Back to Campus
< Sep. 02, 2009 > -- As college students head back to campus, clusters of H1N1 swine flu outbreaks are being noted on many campuses. School administrators are working on efforts to encourage students to take preventative steps to keep the virus from spreading further.
Students, who are often the least likely to take the flu seriously, are seeing signs and other communications urging them to get seasonal flu shots, cover their coughs, wash their hands often, and make use of newly-placed canisters of hand sanitizers, Bloomberg News reports.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), H1N1 flu first began to affect people in the US in April of this year. The virus, which most likely spreads from person to person much like other seasonal viruses, has also been noted in other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.
Fall Flu Outbreak May be Worse than Spring
Officials fear this is the start of a swine flu resurgence that will be more severe and widespread than last spring, when the H1N1 virus emerged in Mexico and then the US, before spreading around the globe. To protect schools and communities from widespread infection, experts say it is important to get both a seasonal flu shot and the soon-to-be-available H1N1 swine flu vaccine, which is expected by mid-October.
At least 17 US colleges had hundreds of students sick with swine flu the first few weeks of school. This is the highest rate of influenza infection for this time of year since the 1968 Hong Kong flu, says Joe Quimby, a spokesman for the CDC.
Because the H1N1 flu did not go away over the summer, Quimby says the CDC is not surprised at the number of infections. But, he says, "This is the type of flu activity that we've been preparing for."
Officials say it will take a few more weeks to know if the college cases will turn into widespread flu outbreaks around the country. Since the H1N1 virus emerged last spring, children and young adults have been particularly vulnerable to infection.
Further Spread Possible
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned countries in the Northern Hemisphere to prepare for a return wave of infections. So far, the H1N1 swine flu virus has caused 2,185 deaths and more than 209,000 infections globally, according to WHO.
Still, health officials stress that infection from the H1N1 swine flu virus continues to result in mild illness and quick recovery for most people, much like the regular seasonal flu.
Vaccinations Are Important
To get the attention of college students, the CDC plans to promote vaccines on popular social networking sites, such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
Health experts say college campuses are a petri dish of sorts for the flu.
"You can envision 200 young people being stuffed into the basement of a smoky fraternity - what a perfect breeding ground for disease," says Dr. James Turner, director of the department of student health at the University of Virginia and president of the American College Health Association. He is tracking college outbreaks in the United States.
Once the swine flu vaccine becomes available, federal officials say that priority should be given to children and young adults, health-care workers, pregnant women, adults with underlying health conditions, and parents and caretakers of children under age 6.
Always consult your physician for more information.
For more information on health and wellness, please visit health information modules on this Web site.
H1N1 Information for Parents
The H1N1 flu virus, referred to as swine flu during the initial breakout, can spread easily from person to person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with H1N1 can pass the virus to others up to seven or more days after they get sick. And children, especially younger ones, might be contagious for even longer.
What does this mean for a parent with a child in daycare or school?
You need to know the symptoms, which are similar to those of regular flu, including fever, cough, sore throat, headache and body aches, chills, and fatigue. In some cases, vomiting and diarrhea may also occur. Rather than display the typical symptoms, young children may experience difficulty breathing and be less active than normal.
If your child becomes ill and displays typical flu-like symptoms, keep him or her at home. Make sure your child gets lots of rest and drinks plenty of juice, water, and other fluids. Depending on your child’s age, your physician may also recommend over-the-counter medicines in order to ease the discomfort of fever, sore throat, and muscle aches. Do not use aspirin.
Like the regular flu, the best way to handle H1N1 flu is to avoid getting sick in the first place. Simple measures can help. Frequent, proper hand washing is one of the easiest ways to prevent illness.
Show children how to properly wash their hands with warm soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If your children are young and tend to rush, teach them to sing a short song, such as "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" or the "Happy Birthday” song, while washing their hands. This is a fun and effective way to make sure they wash long enough.
Teach children to cough or sneeze into a tissue, their elbow, or their upper arm, and to keep their hands away from their eyes, nose, and mouth. Also, discourage them from sharing cups, utensils, and bottles with others.
Always consult your child's physician for more information.
(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)