H1N1 on my campus now

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I just got the email from the Office of the President that H1N1 has been diagnosed in several cases of our university students. Apparently it's pretty nasty too and they've given us a list from the CDC for precautions to follow.

-Cover our nose and mouth with a tissue when we cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after we use it.

-Wash hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.

-Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way. <---no duh.

-Stay home if you get sick. The CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Guess I'll be stalking up on groceries but for now off to my computer lab I go...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

OMG. The flu is suppose to reach its peak in October.

[Amby 490]

I got a H1N1 email too. It basically said the same thing and said when they're vaccinating people. Didn't say people on my campus have it though.

[mawilson 2,133]

You're all gonna die.

[Amby 490]

You're all gonna die.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Peaks in October? I didn't know that but I don't doubt it. I always get sick when the weather changes in October no matter what I do to prevent it from happening.

Yeah! We're all gonna die!

Anyways...to Amby it was my law professor this morning that told our class she has confirmed cases from several students in her class that have been diagnosed with H1N1. We have to give her formal explanations for our absences with written proof such as Doctors notes, ect...so there is no missing her class unless we're crawling on all fours.

Then I just got the email from the Office of the University President about H1N1 on campus and the recommendations from the CDC. I don't doubt that since tragedies such as Virginia Tech that these campuses aren't more interconnected with communication since we have this technology these days. Also while our school started last week a lot of other colleges started back this week so it's probably a good idea for the CDC to send out a mass message like that to the campuses.

In Spring 2007 there was an outbreak of this flu that went around here on campus and in the community and it affected a huge population. I even got it while living in the campus dorms in close quarters and I never sweated so hard in my life. It was miserable awful and my Mom had to come up here and put me in a hotel and stuff me with pills to take care of me. I was knocked flat out.

Edited September 1, 2009 by ~Flower~

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

This is an article about h1n1 on my campus. http://www.uiargonaut.com/content/view/8397/47/

And the swine flu outbreak also hits WSU which is 7 miles across the boarder from U of I. You can read about it in the Lewiston Tribune but you have to register to their site.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

We had the first cases in the office.

[thepizzadude 26]

Hmm and they say the vaccination isn't gonna be available until possibly mid October, and you have to get two dose over a 2-3 week period...wow there talking on the news about it as I type this....eeeeeeeeeeerie.

I HOPE THATS NOT AN OMEN

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I learned last night that pregnant women are at the top of the list for the vaccination because while being pregnant their lungs are compromised by the baby pushing up on them and crushing them. This virus goes into the lungs and out of the percentages that have already died pregnant women were the highest because of their susceptability. My Sister in Law is due in Feb and the Doctors want her to get the vaccine now but she doesn't want to do it.

[KarenCee 3]

At our school (elementary) we have been instructed to wash wash wash before and after anything or use hand sanitizer before entering class, after leaving class and we have to wipe down each mouse, keyboard and headphones after each computer lab use with either a clorox mixture or disinfectant wipes. Teachers are told to have students wipe their desks, pencils, and seats each morning with a disinfectant wipe. The day porter sprays the door handles with a clorox mixture several times a day. It's almost as if we've become super paranoid. I come home from school everyday smelling like a mix of clorox, hand sanitizer, and those disinfectant wipes. All this germ warfare is playing havoc with my asthma. (Yeah, I have super sensitive lungs)

[jundp 191]

Washington State University has reported close to 2000 students with symptoms. Scary as my son leaves for college at Western Washington in two weeks.

[HAL 9000 96]

I learned last night that pregnant women are at the top of the list for the vaccination because while being pregnant their lungs are compromised by the baby pushing up on them and crushing them. This virus goes into the lungs and out of the percentages that have already died pregnant women were the highest because of their susceptability. My Sister in Law is due in Feb and the Doctors want her to get the vaccine now but she doesn't want to do it.

Hope she does.

Naturally, there are things that we can do to avoid high-risk exposure... and there is no reason to freak out about dying from this (even IF in a high-susceptibility group)... but like I've stated a few times before, I am hearing some very potentially disturbing rumors from people in the field about the virulence of this thing over the next couple of months. I truly hope that these stay as rumors.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

It's not rumors Hal it's proven to be true by the people in Vancover. I posted those article on facebook.

[HAL 9000 96]

It's not rumors Hal it's proven to be true by the people in Vancover. I posted those article on facebook.

Oh well I'll just have to FB you then.

As for the actual epidemiological part... its too early to tell now but I have a feeling we're going to see public health recommendations for as many people as possible to stay at home this flu season as much as they can. I may change my route to work as a result to avoid going to lab via the hospital maze and just walk the extra blocks outside.

I am concerned about my wife though... we won't be getting preggo in the next year but she works in education where many recent arrivals from South of the border go to school. By now of course its too late to be irresponsible and lay blame on Mexicans, but one can always knee-jerk it as so many people do.