Flu season is in full swing, and this year it is hitting full force, with cities like Boston and New York City declaring public health emergencies.
University students are just one week back from the holidays, and the Student Health Center has already confirmed 17 cases of the flu.
Despite its widespread reality, several students said they do not feel at risk of catching the flu.
Apparel design junior Brooke Salter was just one student who caught the flu.
“I didn’t realize there was a big epidemic,” Salter said.
Salter said she often has sinus infections, so she didn’t think she had the flu when she started feeling ill.
Chief of Medical Staff at the Student Health Center Nelson Perret said the center is seeing more flu cases this year than normal, and the close proximity of students increases the chance of an epidemic.
“This year we are seeing [the flu] earlier than we did last year,” Perret said.
Medical Director of Lake After Hours Kevin DiBenedetto echoed the same sentiment.
When flu season starts strong, it commonly spreads rapidly during the holiday season, he said.
The Student Health Center attempted to vaccinate as many students as possible before the break.
Associate Director of the Student Health Center Julie Hupperich said the Student Health Center gave a little less than 2,700 flu shots to students before the break. The center is now out of shots, but she said it will be ordering more and that it is not too late to get vaccinated.
Although the vaccines are not guaranteed to prevent the flu, they are effective most of the time.
“The latest from the CDC is 60 to 65 percent effectiveness, but [with the vaccine] the symptoms might be less” Perret said.
Although the flu is more prevalent this year, it is not a stronger variant of the virus, Perret said.
He also said students who are experiencing flu-like symptoms and are normally healthy can usually stay at home and self-medicate with ibuprofen or another drug that can stop a fever, but if symptoms include shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest pain, then students should seek medical assistance.
Students should wait until 24 hours have passed without running a fever before returning to classes and should be without the assistance of medication, Perret said.
