The flu season is here and in addition to the regular seasonal influenza that is circulating, a new strand commonly called the swine flu is also highly contagious.
Patrick Ross, a 20-year-old communications major, uses one of the new hand sanitizing stations on campus. (Photo by Leslie McDonn) The medical term for this new virus, detected in April, is Novel 2009 Influenza A/ H1N1.
De Vitale R.N., the DCCC college nurse and member of the Pandemic Planning Comittee -- made up of DCCC administrators, faculty, and staff,-- says the name swine flu is misleading because people are afraid to eat pork products, though pork is perfectly safe to eat.
The nickname swine flu began because pigs in Mexico carried the virus. “The virus mutated and gave it the ability to transfer from animals to humans,” Vitale said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the H1N1 virus contains genes from pigs in Europe and Asia, as well as avian and human genes so scientists are regarding it as a “quadruple reassortant virus” harmful to humans.
In the United States there have already been 1 million confirmed cases. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Delaware County has had 93 confirmed cases of H1N1, and Chester County has had 76 as of Sept. 18.
H1N1 began in the spring of 2009, and as the 2009-10 school year proceeds, the numbers of projected outbreaks are expected to either remain constant, or increase.
According to Vitale there have been 10 confirmed cases of H1N1 at DCCC: seven students and three staff members. Grant Snyder, vice provost for Students and Instructional Support Services, says that DCCC has taken all necessary steps to prepare for and respond to the dynamics of the flu.
For instance, a notice has been posted on Delagate by Snyder to inform students about the pandemic and to keep them updated on the situation. The following are ways to protect yourself against contracting swine flu.
Recognize the signs and symptoms
Symptoms include sore throat, cough, runny
and stuffy nose, fever, body aches, headaches,
chills, and fatigue. These symptoms are very
similar to the seasonal flu.
However, Vitale says the difference between the viruses is that about 60 percent of people infected with H1N1 have gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The H1N1 virus also differs from the seasonal flu because people twenty five years old and younger are at greater risk than those who are older. Pregnant women, children under the age of five, and people with underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and kidney disease are at higher risks for complications.
The H1N1 virus is believed to circulate in the same manner as the seasonal flu: by respiratory droplets spread through coughing and sneezing. The virus can live on surfaces for up to eight hours.
People afflicted with the virus can infect others from one day before symptoms arise five to seven days later.
Wash your hands
Washing hands correctly is a preventative
way to avoid the virus. Hands should be washed
thoroughly for at least 15-20 seconds with warm
water, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Meanwhile, here at DCCC, 45 no-touch
hand sanitizer dispensers were installed in the
halls and in high traffic areas. Signs have been
posted in the bathrooms reminding people to
wash hands frequently and correctly.
Practice hygiene etiquette
Students who think they possibly have
either flu should stay at home and self-isolate
(quarantine) themselves, only leaving their
living quarters to seek medical treatment.
If it is confirmed that you have swine flu, Vitale says to: “stay home for at least 24 hours after you are fever free without the use of fever reducing medication.”
Health officials say H1N1 spreads when
infected people cough and sneeze, and a healthy
person ingests the virus through touching an
infected surface, then touching their eyes, nose,
or mouth, which is why hand washing and
sanitation are so imperative.
The proper ways to sneeze or cough is into
a tissue, and throw the it away. If a tissue is
not available, then cough into the inside of one’s
elbow.
Seek proper treatment
There are two antiviral medications effective
in combating H1N1: Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and
Relenza (zanamivir.) Both are available through
prescription only.
Experts say there have been reports of Tamiflu resistance with both the H1N1 and winter flu, though not in the United States. This is not unusual as viruses spontaneously mutate, and Tamiflu and Relenza are both still recommended for treatment according to Pandemicflu.gov.
Avoid the new trend called swine flu parties, where people purposely try to infect themselves with the H1N1 virus by being around an infected person. People do this so that they will have already had the virus and will not catch it again or a different strand in case the virus mutates. This is dangerous because people are affected by swine flu at different levels of severity, experts say.
A public vaccine for H1N1 is in production, though not yet in distribution. People are still urged to get their seasonal flu vaccination. Furthermore, the seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against H1N1 so both shots are recommended for full immunization against both flus.
For more information, visit the DCCC Web site, www.delagate.dccc.edu, www.cdc.gov, www.flu.gov, or www.health.state.pa.us
Contact Leslie McDonnell at
communitarian@mail.dccc.edu
