Swine flu sneaks onto campus

Weeks of preparation and worry have come to a head at Luther as three students were officially diagnosed with the H1N1 strain of influenza, commonly called swine flu. The diagnoses came amidst a flurry of activity within Luther’s administration and health services to inform the Luther community of the situation and set a carefully prepared emergency plan in motion.

According to JoEllen Anderson, director of student health services, the number of students infected is often inflated due to the media scare. The administration is taking no chances, though, and requests that students exhibiting symptoms of the flu isolate themselves in their rooms and refrain from going to class, sports practices or social functions.

Already, some students are receiving food in their rooms. Students also have the option of returning home if they live less than 200 miles away.

But no matter how many students become infected, Anderson doesn’t foresee classes being cancelled.

“The [Center for Disease Control] discourages [closing school]… it disrupts the academic year,” Anderson said.

While the H1N1 virus is extremely contagious and has been diagnosed in great numbers at campuses across the nation, it is not a virulent form of influenza. Symptoms are generally milder than the seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and possibly diarrhea and vomiting. These usually last five to seven days.

Despite heavy media attention, Luther’s Pandemic Influenza Response Team is advising students to simply be hygienic and careful as the coming weeks bring more probable cases.

“Because the H1N1 virus is very contagious, we expect more members of the campus community will be infected in the weeks ahead,” a recent e- mail from the Response Team to the Luther community said. “We ask all members of the Luther community to take the standard precautions to avoid spread of the flu and to cooperate in our influenza response efforts.”

Some public discussion surrounding Tamiflu, an injection shortening the symptoms of swine flu, has lead students to request the drug. Luther will offer only seasonal flu vaccines, however, and not Tamiflu.

“Generally, Tamiflu is prescribed for individuals who are hospitalized, are pregnant, or fit into one the [at-risk] categories…” an email from Ann Highum to the Luther community said. “An H1N1 influenza vaccine will not be available for most people.”

At-risk categories include: pregnant women, persons with chronic illnesses, including asthma, diabetes, and conditions causing impaired immune systems.

Students are encouraged to wash their hands often with soap and water, to sneeze or cough into a tissue or elbow and not their hands, to not share food, drink or utensils with others and to avoid contact with ill students.