The total number of students who have reported flu-like symptoms this semester has increased to 166 as of last night, marking an increase of 40 cases in about two days. As a result of the significant increase, the Student Health Center will make flu vaccinations available to all students instead of only "high-risk" individuals as previously planned.
Student Health will hold its earliest vaccination clinic Oct. 26. The clinic will be open to students who are 24-years-old and younger. Similar clinics for older students will be offered at later dates. Students can also self-schedule appointments to receive vaccinations at Student Health.
In addition to vaccinations for seasonal influenza, Health Center officials plan to offer an H1N1 influenza vaccination if it is available by Oct. 26. Though previously scheduled for early November, the swine flu vaccine's anticipated release was moved up to Oct. 26 because of recent news regarding the number of doses needed, Student Health Director James Turner said. Student health officials had originally thought that the swine flu vaccination first required a primer and then a booster shot, but recent data suggests only one dose is required.
"We're really working hard to make sure we have H1N1 vaccines by that time," Turner said. "I would strongly urge students to sign-up for both the seasonal vaccination and the swine flu vaccination."
Many students said they believe the University is handling the outbreak well.
"I think they're doing pretty well with it," fourth-year College student Tomi Ogun said. "They keep you updated with the cases that are being reported, and they're letting you know what steps they're taking."
First-year College student Ginny Kim agreed with Ogun's opinion.
"They've done about as well as an institution can," she said.
Others, however, believe that although the University has taken many necessary precautions, it has also generated unnecessary anxiety about swine flu among students.
"I think Student Health is a little nutty right now, walking around with masks," second-year Engineering student Danny Schmidt said. "They're going about it correctly; they're just making a bigger deal of it than it actually is."
Schmidt, who recently recovered from swine flu, said the experience was not as serious as some of the University's efforts indicate.
"It was kind of underwhelming for all the hype it got," Schmidt said. "I was really sick for like 36 hours and then it was just like having the sniffles or something like that."
Although Ogun applauded Student Health's efforts, he also said he believes that University officials seem overly worried.
"You keep looking around, and it's like, 'Oh, you sneezed - back away from me,'" Ogun said.
Though Turner said he does not think that students are becoming unnecessarily concerned, he noted the Health Center has received an influx of calls from concerned students.
"We've been getting a lot of calls from students who have been experiencing symptoms that are more related to colds and other illnesses than the flu," Turner said. "But it has all been legitimate cases of students seeking advice, and our nursing staff has been working very hard to give advice that to these students."
Additionally, the recent recommendation that faculty be more lenient with student attendance and post course materials online has also generated some debate.
"Students really need to think beyond themselves personally," Turner said. "There is almost a social responsibility to not expose other students to this illness."
Most students, however, recognize not only the importance for ill students to stay home from class, but also an opportunity for healthy students to skip class without consequence.
"I think some students might try and take advantage of the fact and just say that they're sick when they're not necessarily sick, but I can see how it would be a hassle to have to go and get a doctors note if you're sick," Kim said.
According to some faculty members, swine flu concerns are not the only explanation for a noticeable absence of students in some classes.
"This past week I have noticed a small drop in the number of students that show up," Biology Prof. Michael Timko said. "Some of that reflects sickness, but some of it also reflects that there is a portion that feels that everything can be learned by downloading the class notes or PowerPoint files."
The flu vaccination clinic will be held Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Aquatic and Fitness Center.
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