Although fears of a flu pandemic leveled off throughout the summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Wabash’s physicians have warned people to be on high alert this fall.
People under 24 are at higher risk for infection, and the College is a high priority for vaccinations in Montgomery County. Dr. Scott Douglas ’84 said the government is currently preparing the vaccine and will hopefully distribute it in November. Unlike seasonal vaccines, the swine flu vaccine will be free of charge.
Dr. John Roberts ’83 wrote to key administrators stressing the “illness may become a problem sooner than we thought.” He is creating an online communication system with Douglas and Jim Amidon ’87, the College’s Director of Public Affairs, for Wabash’s students, parents, faculty, and staff.
Roberts also referenced the CDC’s newest guidance for Institutions of Higher Learning (IHE’s), which offers several guidelines for illness prevention. The publication details strategies students and administrators can use to prevent infection.
Swine flu, which will coincide with this year’s seasonal influenza, is caused by a type A influenza virus known as H1N1, which derives from a virus that normally infects pigs. “Every year we have a type A influenza that circulates,” Douglas said. “But [H1N1] is a unique, or novel virus.”
The virus has infected a relatively low number of people. That creates a large percentage of the population still susceptible to infection.
“We have concern about Wabash simply because we have a large number of folks under 24 who are in confined quarters,” Douglas said. “And that’s going to play a big role in terms of our push to get students vaccinated.”
The CDC and the College physicians stress prevention is key.
“The most important part in terms of trying to avoid catching the virus is to stay away from folks who are ill. If you know somebody who has a fever and is sick, you should stay away from him.”
The doctor also recommends hand washing as a simple, effective tool against the disease. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets from infected patients, and if infected people sneeze or cough into their hands, the disease will spread.
For H1N1 infected students, Douglas recommends self-isolation.
“We’re going to strongly ask students who are sick to stay in their rooms, and if they must go out, we will ask them to wear masks. We would also rather their roommates bring them a meal so they don’t go down to the dining hall and infect everybody else.”
Douglass recommends sick students should stay isolated until they are free of fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducers.