With the arrival of autumn comes falling leaves, colder temperatures and the beginning of flu season.
More than 200,000 people are hospitalized each year with the flu or flu-related complications in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This season of sickness can last from October to May.
Flu season often hits college campuses hard because of the high concentration of people, and the U is no exception. There’s a sharp increase in the number of students who visit the Student Health Center during December and January. The center is staffed by medical professionals ready to assist U students who catch the flu. But Kassy Keen, a health educator, said the best thing to do is avoid it.
“One of the best preventative measures is basic hygiene,” Keen said. “Washing hands, sneezing into tissues or the crook of your elbow.”
Keen also recommends getting a flu shot, which many students think is unnecessary because they’re young and healthy.
The U participated in the National College Health Assessment, which lists factors that negatively affect student academic performance across the nation. Out of more than 30 factors listed, the flu or cold ranks fourth, preceded by sleep problems and followed by work. Many U students report not finishing their homework or performing poorly on a test as a result of catching the flu.
“The flu sucks,” said Walter Talley, a sophomore in entertainment arts and engineering. “I forced myself to stay through a class. I couldn’t really focus. All I could think was how bad my throat felt.”
Talley’s situation is common, but the Student Health Center estimates that only 50 percent of students at the U get flu shots, despite the center’s efforts to provide as many as possible.
The CDC estimates vaccines reduce the risk of flu by 50 to 60 percent. The shot works by injecting the body with inactivated viruses, causing the immune system to generate antibodies which learn to protect against the infection. Despite rumors, the CDC emphasizes vaccines do not contain live viruses and cannot give you the flu. But the strains change each year, so they recommend getting a new shot annually.
ASUU will provide free flu shots for any students with a valid UCard at its Wellness Fair on Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Student Life Center. Other flu shot clinics will be held on Oct. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Peterson Heritage Center and Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Union.
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