Students flock for Swine Flu shots

  

The H1N1 virus, also know as the Swine Flu, is stirring up fear and panic across the nation as President Obama has declared a national emergency to deal with the "rapid increase in illness.”  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported around 20,000 hospitalizations and close to 1,000 deaths associated with the Swine Flu. 

            People have started receiving the vaccine during the beginning of October with 250 million doses currently available in the U.S., according to the CDC.  The Student Health Center accordingly made 2,400 doses of the H1N1 vaccine available to students during a free clinic, which ran from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Monday.  However, only 1,101 students took advantage of the opportunity and received the H1N1 flu vaccine.

             “I was kind of surprised that we only gave half of our doses,” said Lucinda Harris, the Nurse Supervisor of the Student Health Center.  According to Harris there have been about 185 cases of Swine Flu like illnesses, since the beginning of this semester.  She reported that the number is “not so bad” and there have not been any mass cases cited in the Residence Halls.

            But, there were plenty of students who were eager to receive the vaccine shot and they came early to wait in a line that stretched down from the KUB Multi-A entrance to the Fireside Lounge. 

            Kevin Pearsall, a senior, was first in line to receive a shot at about 7:30 a.m.  “It’s one less thing to worry about,” he said.

            Harris has found that there are many students who are afraid to get the vaccine for many different reasons.  “Of course the news hype that’s been out there takes one facet of the vaccine or a complication and blows it out of proportion and uses scare tactics and students are just afraid to get it,” she said.

            Courtney Pfriender, a junior, who was also in line early said that she wasn’t worried about the possible H1N1 side effects.  “I think the media is making the fear worse,” she said.

            Although the CDC reports that the Swine Flu can affect lung tissue and cause complications such as respiratory tract illness, dehydration, or pneumonia, Harris said that there have been relatively few students who have experienced the effects, but all of who have recovered.  She also suggested that those people with asthma, cystic fibrosis, or other lung related problems should receive the vaccine.

            Freshman Kaitlyn Cardone who received the Seasonal Flu vaccine already this year from the Student Health Center, referred to receiving the Swine Flu vaccine as “more necessary.” 

            The main concern with Swine Flu is how it can spread easily, which allows the virus to affect a large number of people during a short amount of time, according to reports by the CDC. Currently there have been reported cases of the H1N1 virus in more than 70 countries, since its first outbreak in the U.S., according to the World Health Organization.

            Nevertheless, there are still students on campus who believe the Swine Flu is getting more attention than it deserves and do not believe the influenza is putting their health at risk.

            “I have been fine all season,” said Bridget Ford, a sophomore, “I never got a flu shot before and I don’t need it.”

            There is not a significant difference between the symptoms of both the Swine Flu and Seasonal Influenza (Flu), according to Harris.  “This flu is not so much the fact that it’s worse than seasonal flu, it’s the fact that so many young people have not been exposed to flu in the past,” said Harris.  “They don’t have those antibodies from previous influenzas to support their immune system.”  Whereas that older people have adapted to different flu types and have less of a risk of being affected by new viruses, according to Harris.

            Swine Flu is spread from person-to-person through coughing or sneezing by people with the influenza or by coming in contact with a surface or object that has been touched by someone with the virus, CDC states.   Harris suggests standing 3-6 feet away from someone with H1N1 because the chance of breathing in the virus is lower and to wash hands frequently.

            The Student Health Center has experienced difficulty trying to get people who have all the symptoms of Swine Flu to cooperate and follow their procedures to prevent the spread of the virus, Harris said.  The staff requests those who have the virus to either go home or self-isolate.  “Students aren’t taking this seriously,” Harris said.  “When they’re sick they need to stay out of the public until they’re fever-free for 24 hours.” 

            According to Harris, some students with the symptoms have been refusing to go to the Student Health Center because they do not want to be kept from going to classes.  “So they’re going to class sick and it just continues the spread,” said Harris.  The Student Health Center notifies the professors of students with the virus, so they can be aware of their situation. 

 

            Although freshman Jennifer Hilsdort, said the Student Health Center diagnosed her for having the Swine Flu, but when she found out that she did not have the virus after all, she had already missed three days of class for being quarantined.  Hilsdorf was at the vaccination clinic to “put the worry out of mind,” she said.  She also said she wasn’t worried about receiving the shot, “It should be safe if they’re just giving it out.”     

            Some students were misinformed and said they weren’t planning on receiving the H1N1 shot because they had already got the Seasonal Flu vaccine.  The CDC reports that people should receive vaccines for both the Seasonal Flu and the Swine Flu during this year to be “fully protected” from the viruses.

            “I really have no choice,” said junior Autumn Lau, “being an education major, I don’t know if some schools require me to get the shot or not.”

            The Student Health Center will make the remaining H1N1 shots available for free by appointment for as long as supply lasts.