Pointlife
Think you’re safe from H1N1? Think again
The Pointer
kshan945@uwsp.edu
Students don’t really care about their health, it seems, with their hectic schedules filled with classes, meetings, deleting emails, visiting Facebook, and reading student newspapers. Health is becoming more of an issue with the growing crisis sourounding H1N1.
Their health is on the back burner, as the worldwide epidemic of H1N1, more commonly referred to as the “swine flu,” has disrupted the lives of thousands, including students at many universities. Sick of hearing about this disease daily, many do not pay attention to the effects that it may cause.
It is true that this strain of influenza is not as fatal as other strains, “Approximately 90,000 Americans will die from this particular virus,” Said Bill Hettler, director of Health Services.
UW-Madison has already reported cases of H1N1 on campus and is working to inform students of ways to avoid it.
“This is what we’ve prepared for,” said Dr. Sarah Van Orman, executive director of the UW-Madison University Health Services. “This is also what many other schools around the country are experiencing, and this is why every member of the campus has received at least one message about influenza precautions and preparedness in the past week.”
There have been 29 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Portage County and one confirmed death, but the risk of this virus spreading on university campuses with students in close proximity of each other is high.
UWSP is attempting to create an atmosphere of cleanliness, trying to prevent the spread of disease in the community both on and off campus. At Debot Dining Center, there are hand sanitizers and wipes in order for students to wash their hands regularly before spreading anything to anyone else. In the Health Services Center, students type in their information with hand sanitizer by the keyboards.
Informative signs and motion sensitive paper towel dispensers have been installed throughout campus bathrooms. Simple procedures and changes like this can help stop this disease from spreading.
Though washing your hands regularly and keeping your body healthy is recommended, the University Health Services are providing flu shots to students on campus that are considered high-risk including students who have asthma, diabetes or low immunity.
Hettler also suggests that each student get both the flu shot and H1N1 shot. The flu shots are coming to campus in late September as the peak of H1N1 cases is expected in October.
The scare of H1N1 has caused mass uproar in the media. College students may ignore the warnings, but other diseases and sicknesses can be spread through common university activities.
For example, posters from the annual poster sale outside of the Dreyfus University Center were lying out on tables for days with hundreds, possibly thousands, of students touching them with many hands not washed or sanitized. Doorknobs, desks and cups at parties have the same problem.
By more aware of actions and taking simple proactive preventive steps, swine flu can be kept at a minimum at UWSP.
