Swine flu vaccine arrives on campus
Eva Hollenburg
Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: News
After months of anticipation, the 2009 H1N1 vaccine has finally made its way to numerous areas around the country, including Eastern's campus.
Student Health Services (SHS) has recently received its first batch of the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine. For many Eastern students, however, the vaccine is arriving too late.
Pradeep Bose, director of SHS, said between 130 and 150 students have been diagnosed with H1N1 here at Eastern. These numbers do not include students who have been diagnosed at local health care clinics, making it difficult to determine the exact numbers.
"Pandemics tend to occur in waves and we are seeing a lull at this time, but we are bracing for a resurgence of flu activity later this year and early next year," Bose said.
With the anticipation of more flu activity, and as the H1N1 virus continues to make its way through Eastern's campus community, it is important for students, staff and faculty to understand the signs and symptoms of H1N1, as well as know important ways to prevent it from continuing to spread.
"When I first started to feel sick I had a sore throat and felt really weak," said Ali Gajus, a senior biology major from Cincinnati. "I was sick and had a fever for five days and had a cough, felt weak and felt achy for another week after that."
The H1N1 virus spreads like any other form of influenza. Bose said the virus travels from one individual to another through infected droplets of respiratory tract secretions, which then contaminate mucus membranes.
Due to its ability to spread quickly, students living on campus diagnosed with
H1N1 are encouraged to stay in temporary housing or go home until they are feeling better.
The easiest way to avoid contracting the H1N1 virus, or any form of influenza, is to regularly wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Even the most careful individual, however, cannot always prevent a virus from entering his or her body. That is where the new H1N1 vaccine comes in.
Student Health Services (SHS) has recently received its first batch of the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine. For many Eastern students, however, the vaccine is arriving too late.
Pradeep Bose, director of SHS, said between 130 and 150 students have been diagnosed with H1N1 here at Eastern. These numbers do not include students who have been diagnosed at local health care clinics, making it difficult to determine the exact numbers.
"Pandemics tend to occur in waves and we are seeing a lull at this time, but we are bracing for a resurgence of flu activity later this year and early next year," Bose said.
With the anticipation of more flu activity, and as the H1N1 virus continues to make its way through Eastern's campus community, it is important for students, staff and faculty to understand the signs and symptoms of H1N1, as well as know important ways to prevent it from continuing to spread.
"When I first started to feel sick I had a sore throat and felt really weak," said Ali Gajus, a senior biology major from Cincinnati. "I was sick and had a fever for five days and had a cough, felt weak and felt achy for another week after that."
The H1N1 virus spreads like any other form of influenza. Bose said the virus travels from one individual to another through infected droplets of respiratory tract secretions, which then contaminate mucus membranes.
Due to its ability to spread quickly, students living on campus diagnosed with
H1N1 are encouraged to stay in temporary housing or go home until they are feeling better.
The easiest way to avoid contracting the H1N1 virus, or any form of influenza, is to regularly wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Even the most careful individual, however, cannot always prevent a virus from entering his or her body. That is where the new H1N1 vaccine comes in.
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posted 11/26/09 @ 7:21 AM EST
I do not understand this panic over H1N1 virus that exists all over the world!
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