Elizabethtown College is taking preventative measures to keep students healthy and safe from the recent flu epidemic. Symptoms to watch for are: fever or chills, cough, body aches or headache, fatigue, sore throat and a stuffy or runny nose.
Student health has been administering flu shots for $17 for students who want to protect themselves against this virus. Influenza, commonly shortened to “flu,” is an extremely contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza A or B viruses.
According to Eileen Wagener, RN, the College’s health liaison, “It is important for students to stay healthy because of the close proximity and contact they have with each other in closed spaces, especially during cold weather, which helps viruses spread easily. Illness also means time missed from class, and that affects academic progress.”
Wagener further explained, “Student Wellness/Student Health contracted this year with Travel Health Services of Lancaster to hold two flu clinics in October. They gave approximately 200 flu shots to both students and employees.” Fifty additional students received shots by scheduling appointments with Wagener in her office.
There is a common fear that the flu shot can give students the virus. Wagener assures students that it is impossible to get the flu from receiving the flu vaccination: “The vaccine is made from a deactivated or dead virus and therefore cannot transmit the virus. It does take about two weeks for your body to provide the immunity needed from the vaccine, so if you are exposed to the flu during those two weeks, you can still get the flu.”
Wagener also said, “The risks associated with receiving a flu shot are the same as receiving any vaccine, especially if you are allergic to any part of the vaccine. The flu shot is generally safe for most people with no history of a previous bad reaction to a vaccine, or no history of allergies to eggs. The benefits outweigh the risks.”
In addition to getting the flu shot, there are other ways to gain protection from the flu. Wagener sent out an email through Campus News to advise all students to frequently wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer; avoid touching common surfaces; avoid touching their face, mouth, nose and eyes; avoid contact with those who are sick; and keep immune systems strong by getting plenty of sleep and eating a well-balanced diet.
Wagener said, “The College is offering plenty of information to aid students in preventing the flu via the Student Health website, Campus News, etc. Flu clinics were offered in the fall semester, additional vaccination has been available through the Student Health office. Hand sanitizer is also readily available in all areas of campus.”
The flu isn’t typically a detrimental virus. However, it can become more severe under certain conditions. For this reason, students should shield themselves from the virus as much as they can.
First-year Emily Zimmerman said, “I got the flu shot because I get it every year. I especially wanted it this year because there was an epidemic.”
Wagener said, “Influenza can certainly be miserable for several days or more, and can be inconvenient with time being lost from class and work. The illness is more severe in those who are very young or the elderly or in individuals who have chronic illness or diseases. It can be dangerous for those groups of people. Generally, young, healthy adults recover without complications in most cases.”
Wagener said, “The Student Health office and Penn State Hershey Medical Group has only seen a few students with flu-like illnesses that I am aware of. There are other illnesses and viruses that students have presented with that are not influenza. There also may be students who have had flu symptoms but have not come to Student Health to be seen.”
With this being said, is Etown College in the midst of a flu epidemic? Wagener doesn’t think so. She said, “I would not consider that the Etown campus is in the midst of a flu ‘epidemic’ at this time. There may be some flu cases, but at this point not at epidemic levels. Keep washing your hands and get a flu shot. It’s not too late.”
If flu symptoms arise, Wagener recommended that students “get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, take pain relievers and fever reducers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as directed. Students with the flu should stay home or in their dorm room, and limit contact with others.”
Student Health, located at the Penn State Hershey Medical Group office, 1 Continental Dr., is available for students who need medical attention for acute symptoms, especially those students with underlying health problems or chronic health conditions.
Influenza, commonly shortened to “flu,” is an extremely contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza A or B viruses.