Fighting flu takes a few simple steps for students
Over the past few months, there has been a lot of talk about the new strain of flu that has hit Canada, and many other countries around the world. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) anticipates the H1N1 flu virus will be the primary flu virus affecting Canadians this season.
Like all strains of influenza, H1N1 is usually a mild illness; however, it can still make you feel miserable and sometimes cause very serious illness. Symptoms include cough and fever, and sometimes fatigue, muscle aches, sore throat, headache, decreased appetite and runny nose. Unlike other types of flu, stomach problems including vomiting and diarrhea have also been associated with the H1N1 flu virus.
We should all take the flu seriously. As students living away from the comforts of home, there are many simple precautions you can take to protect yourself and your friends:
- Wash your hands frequently;
- Keep your hands away from your face;
- Keep common surfaces in your home or dorm disinfected;
- When at school or in class, cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand;
- Don't share personal items such as eating utensils or drinks with your roommates;
- Get immunized; and
- If you are sick, stay home from class and arrange to get your school work delivered to you until your symptoms are gone and you feel ready to participate in class again.
These are things we can all start doing right now. Over the next few weeks provincial and territorial health departments will be providing information on the H1N1 vaccine. Immunization is one of our strongest lines of defence against the flu. This year it is even more important to get vaccinated because H1N1 is a new virus strain that our bodies have little or no immunity to. Getting vaccinated not only protects us from infection, it also helps prevent its spread to your classmates, friends, and roommates.
Students who do contract H1N1 generally feel better after a few days of rest, and with the help of common pain and fever medicine. As the flu season is now upon, you can prepare yourself and your roommates by stocking up on such items as soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizers, pain and fever medicine, a thermometer, and non-perishable food and beverages.
In the event that you experience symptoms of H1N1 and they develop into a more serious illness, you should seek medical advice, especially if you have trouble breathing. Living away from home, you may not have access to your family doctor, but you will likely have a walk-in medical clinic on campus or nearby that can treat you. As a precautionary measure, check with your college or university so you are familiar with their pandemic plan, and if you plan on locating permanently to your adopted school city, you could also look into finding a local family doctor that may be accepting new patients.
For more information on H1N1, and to get your copy of the new H1N1 Preparedness Guide, please visit www.fightflu.ca. If you have questions, you can contact 1-800 O Canada. Remember, knowledge is our best defence. If we all do our part we can prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus.
Dr. David Butler-Jones is Canada's first Chief Public Health Officer and is head of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Like all strains of influenza, H1N1 is usually a mild illness; however, it can still make you feel miserable and sometimes cause very serious illness. Symptoms include cough and fever, and sometimes fatigue, muscle aches, sore throat, headache, decreased appetite and runny nose. Unlike other types of flu, stomach problems including vomiting and diarrhea have also been associated with the H1N1 flu virus.
We should all take the flu seriously. As students living away from the comforts of home, there are many simple precautions you can take to protect yourself and your friends:
- Wash your hands frequently;
- Keep your hands away from your face;
- Keep common surfaces in your home or dorm disinfected;
- When at school or in class, cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand;
- Don't share personal items such as eating utensils or drinks with your roommates;
- Get immunized; and
- If you are sick, stay home from class and arrange to get your school work delivered to you until your symptoms are gone and you feel ready to participate in class again.
These are things we can all start doing right now. Over the next few weeks provincial and territorial health departments will be providing information on the H1N1 vaccine. Immunization is one of our strongest lines of defence against the flu. This year it is even more important to get vaccinated because H1N1 is a new virus strain that our bodies have little or no immunity to. Getting vaccinated not only protects us from infection, it also helps prevent its spread to your classmates, friends, and roommates.
Students who do contract H1N1 generally feel better after a few days of rest, and with the help of common pain and fever medicine. As the flu season is now upon, you can prepare yourself and your roommates by stocking up on such items as soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizers, pain and fever medicine, a thermometer, and non-perishable food and beverages.
In the event that you experience symptoms of H1N1 and they develop into a more serious illness, you should seek medical advice, especially if you have trouble breathing. Living away from home, you may not have access to your family doctor, but you will likely have a walk-in medical clinic on campus or nearby that can treat you. As a precautionary measure, check with your college or university so you are familiar with their pandemic plan, and if you plan on locating permanently to your adopted school city, you could also look into finding a local family doctor that may be accepting new patients.
For more information on H1N1, and to get your copy of the new H1N1 Preparedness Guide, please visit www.fightflu.ca. If you have questions, you can contact 1-800 O Canada. Remember, knowledge is our best defence. If we all do our part we can prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus.
Dr. David Butler-Jones is Canada's first Chief Public Health Officer and is head of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
