The Cougar Health Awareness Team (CHAT), a registered student organization that works with Health & Wellness Services (HWS), got together at lunch Friday, Aug. 28, and put together 200 “self-care kits” to be given to flu patients at HWS. Here’s a picture of the students working on the kits. Photo courtesy of HWS.
The Cougar Health Awareness Team (CHAT), a registered student organization that works with Health & Wellness Services (HWS), got together at lunch today and put together 200 “self-care kits” to be given to flu patients at HWS. Here’s a picture of the students working on the kits.
As influenza goes, the A(H1N1) virus, also known as swine flu, is relatively mild and doesn’t last very long, but it is contagious. All faculty, staff and students who believe they have flu-like symptoms are being urged to stay home, get plenty of fluids and rest.
“The current influenza we are seeing on campus appears to be less severe and shorter lived than the seasonal influenza,” said Dr. Dennis Garcia, senior associate director of Health and Wellness Services (HWS). “With that said, we are encouraging all (people with symptoms who are otherwise) normal and healthy to remain at home or in their living quarters until their fevers have resolved. The best treatment is acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever as well as rest and sleep.”
10 out of 50 positive
On Wednesday, Aug. 26, HWS staff saw approximately 50 patients with influenza-like illness. Of those 50, 10 tested positive for Influenza type A, according to an HWS update. Paula Adams, communication coordinator for HWS, said both the Whitman County Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control have recommended that patients no longer need to be tested to confirm an H1N1 diagnosis because that requires further testing beyond the test for influenza A. State and national statistics indicate that more than 95 percent of people who test positive for influenza A have the H1N1 virus.
While most people, whether they have H1N1 or some other virus, will not need to see a doctor, HWS recommends that people seek immediate medical attention if they have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion or severe or persistent vomiting. WSU health officials also recommend that students who are unsure of the severity of their symptoms call HWS at 509-335-3575 or come in to be seen.
WSU staff prepared
Eleanor Finger, director of Residence Life, said her staff posted information from the Centers for Disease Control in residence halls over the summer in preparation for what health officials have predicted would be a busy flu season. Since school started, she said, her staff has continued to work with students, especially those who are sick, to ensure that they get the care they need.
“The only thing that is different for us is that we have implemented a more formalized protocol for responding to a higher number of students who become sick at the same time,” she said. “This is to ensure we have a way to identify and safety net our residents, but most of our outreach and support are what we’ve always done.”
For instance, she said, students who are sick, whether it is from the flu, a cold, or some other virus that is going around, are counseled to rest in their rooms, drink plenty of fluids, work with a buddy to get meals from the dining centers, take over the counter pain medication as necessary, and monitor their symptoms for signs that they may need to see a doctor.
Self-assessment checklist
Sometimes, Finger said, it is difficult for students to determine, “when do I go (to the doctor) and when do I just stay home and eat chicken soup?”
HWS has developed a series of questions as part of a self-assessment to help students do just that. The self-assessment information has been distributed at the residence halls and to the Greek system, but it could be useful to anyone who’s feeling sick. (see below)
Anita Cory, director of the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life, said she, too, has been working with HWS to ensure that students get the information they need. Wednesday night, she said, all of the Greek chapter presidents were invited to a meeting with Marsha Turnbull, a health educator with HWS.
The take-away message, Cory said, is that students need to take precautions to avoid getting or spreading the virus, and they need to stay home and take care of themselves if they do get it.
Note: The university’s Office of Emergency Management has posted a new webpage called the WSU H1N1 (Swine) Flu Guide. A link to that paage can be found in the right-hand column of the WSU Today front page. The button is the image of a pig as seen here.
WSU Today also has a link in its left-hand navigation column under the category “Resources” titled “Flu update” that provides an live RSS feed to articles in the news media.
