by Kristyn Proctor, Triangle staff writer
Severe body aches, fatigue, a hacking cough, headaches and a fever consistently over 100 degrees are just some of the symptoms of the latest plague scare. Victims of the swine flu outbreak often say they feel like they’ve “been hit by a truck,” a feeling several Bryan College students quickly came to understand this week as they finally came face to face with the virus that has caused such a media uproar.
According to an e-alert sent out last Wednesday afternoon by Dr. Peter Held, vice president of student life, two students from the college have contracted “Type A flu, which is assumed to be the H1N1 variety.” Two others have also recovered from what doctors assume was the virus, and both numbers could rise over the weekend when testing is not available.
Swine flu, now dubbed the novel H1N1 virus, has been a major concern for Americans since late spring when authorities detected a new strain throughout Mexico. The virus has since spread to the United States, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in its Sept. 5 “Flu View” that over 40,000 confirmed cases were discovered this season.
The World Health Organization officially labeled the outbreak as pandemic influenza this June, reminding people, according the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that “flu viruses like H1N1 need to be taken seriously.”
Bryan students and faculty seem to agree.
“I’m somewhat concerned,” said Jordan Kelly, a freshman living in Huston Hall. “I’m definitely taking precautions, but I’m also trusting in God to take care of me.”
Dr. David Jenkinson of the Bryan PolyClinic was also uneasy about the cases on campus, saying that while casualties from this strain are not likely, vigilance is required due to the contagiousness of the disease.
“The virus could still cause a lot of interruption in people’s lives,” Jenkinson said.
To date there is no vaccine available to prevent H1N1, though the CDC plans to release a vaccine free of charge sometime between mid-October and November.
According to Held, Bryan College is included on the list of schools set to receive the vaccine. The shot will not be mandatory for students, but it is strongly recommended by the CDC that college-aged adults, along with small children, pregnant women and the elderly, receive it.
This vaccine will be distributed by the PolyClinic for free once it is available, though the standard seasonal version will still be moderately priced.
Meanwhile, students are being encouraged by the campus-wide “Cover Your Cough” campaign to simply use common sense. Doctors encourage students to continue to wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, cover coughs, and not share food or beverages. Students who think they may have contracted either swine flu or seasonal flu should go to the PolyClinic for testing.
So far, Bryan students have emerged relatively unscathed by the virus, with more populated colleges like the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga reporting much higher numbers of confirmed and assumed cases, even for their relatively larger size. Still, students with confirmed cases here at Bryan are encouraged by the college to stay isolated in their dorm rooms or to recover in the comforts of home.
Jenkinson also warns students not to become complacent.
“Given a choice between a kick in the head and getting this flu, I’d prefer a kick in the head,” he says. “Just do the simple things.”
For more information, readers can go to www.bryanpolyclinic.com where staff members post weekly announcements from the CDC and the Tennessee Department of Health, advice on staying healthy and tips for taking care of someone ill.