http://www.publicopiniononline.com/localnews/ci_13536462
Shippensburg University: Let H1N1 (swine flu) run its course
By JULIA STEIN Staff writer
Some believe that the H1N1 strain of flu, better know as the "swine flu", really is not that life-threatening; contrary to popular belief.
Dr. Johnson Coyle, Medical Director of Health and Emergency Services at Shippensburg University, has believed for several months that H1N1 is a milder form of the seasonal flu.
"It's milder than the regular flu which surprised us," Coyle said. Symptoms that the SU Etter Health Center has dealt with since the summer have included fever, cough and possibly nausea.
Typical cases have only lasted approximately seven days contrary to the well-known mask-needing, life-ending and friend-losing reputation of H1N1.
The university has dealt with these types of mild symptoms since summer classes began and have been preparing for this semseter since then.
The theory of Coyle, which is backed up by the university, is to let the students get sick instead of attempting to contain the flu.
During summer classes, Coyle and administrators met with students and explained how mild this pandemic is.
The reasoning behind "let's let the kids get sick now rather than later" is the belief that if more and more students get the flu and become immune, it will be less detrimental in the future.
Coyle worries about universities that try to contain the flu because the chance for a larger outbreak is greater once the winter season arrives.
"Ship is going to just chug right along," Coyle said. "I think we're ahead of the curve."
He estimates that around 10 to 15 percent of the student population is already immune to the flu.
SU has become a member of the U.S. Influenza Sentinel Provider Surveillance Network and reports influenza findings to the Centers for Disease Control.
To test for H1N1, a test kit is used that consists of a swab for the nose and a second swab for the mouth.
Surprisingly, out of approximately 12 H1N1 tests that Etter Health Center has conducted, only two have returned positive. A negative test however, does not mean that H1N1 is not present.
According to Coyle, there have been approximately 200 to 250 students that have visited the health center with flu-like symptoms so far this semester. Coyle believes that these are all related to H1N1.
The Etter Health Center has been distributing Tamiflu to students that show influenza symptoms. The students must take the medicine within the first two days they are sick and it costs $70 for 10 pills.
Coyle and the Etter staff advise students to stay home for 24 hours until their fever is gone. Their advice includes covering your cough and washing hands often considering germs that cause influenza are mostly airborne.
Dr. Jim Turner, president of the American College Health Association and the University of West Virginia's director of student health, agrees that H1N1 ismild.
"It looks virtually identical to seasonal flu," Turner said. Much like Coyle, Turner also sees milder similarities between H1N1 and seasonal flu.
According to Turner, in general, students tend to recover around four to five days.
Another indication that the flu is mild is because of a very small number of hospitalizations due to the illness.
Turner is adamant that H1N1 is mild only in students though. Because students are of an age where they are healthy and their immune systems can handle the flu better.
He believes H1N1 should be prevented if possible due to the fact that approximately 40 children have died from H1N1 and if a pregnant woman were to become ill with the flu, the effects could be deadly.
There is hope for those who have not been stricken with the flu. A nasal spray called FluMist is available in limited supply at pharmacies.
Turner hopes that the H1N1 vaccine will be ready for distribution by late October or early November. When the vaccine arrives, it will be available at the SU health center free of cost.
Turner also believes that if more and more people become infected with the flu, it could mutate into something much worse.
"The potential for flu to mutate is high," Coyle said. In agreement with Turner's worry of mutation, Coyle still believes getting students immune by becoming sick or vaccinated will prevent a larger-scale pandemic.
In the last six weeks, 34,000 out of 3 million college students that are a part of the surveillance program were reported as having the flu.
The percentage of attack rate of H1N1 seems to be slowly decreasing in many regions according to the ACHA website.
With the winter approaching, it is still possible that the decreasing number of flu reports will peak again.
"We could certainly anticipate within the next 9 months that there will be two different waves lasting a few weeks," Turner said.
He expects a peak in the winter and in the spring.
The infamous swine flu that has traveled from the pigs of Mexico to people across the U.S. is here to stay, at least for a while longer.
It's impact is not to be undermined, but the H1N1 flu does not compare to the 1918 Influenza Pandemic in the least.
For now, students only have to worry about catching a milder and completely treatable form of the seasonal flu.
To avoid spreading the flu, wash hands frequently, practice good cough hygiene, do not share drinks and avoid crowds.
For more information about weekly H1N1 flu updates for colleges, visit www.acha.org. For more information about H1N1, visit www.cdc.gov.
Shippensburg University: Let H1N1 (swine flu) run its course
By JULIA STEIN Staff writer
Some believe that the H1N1 strain of flu, better know as the "swine flu", really is not that life-threatening; contrary to popular belief.
Dr. Johnson Coyle, Medical Director of Health and Emergency Services at Shippensburg University, has believed for several months that H1N1 is a milder form of the seasonal flu.
"It's milder than the regular flu which surprised us," Coyle said. Symptoms that the SU Etter Health Center has dealt with since the summer have included fever, cough and possibly nausea.
Typical cases have only lasted approximately seven days contrary to the well-known mask-needing, life-ending and friend-losing reputation of H1N1.
The university has dealt with these types of mild symptoms since summer classes began and have been preparing for this semseter since then.
The theory of Coyle, which is backed up by the university, is to let the students get sick instead of attempting to contain the flu.
During summer classes, Coyle and administrators met with students and explained how mild this pandemic is.
The reasoning behind "let's let the kids get sick now rather than later" is the belief that if more and more students get the flu and become immune, it will be less detrimental in the future.
Coyle worries about universities that try to contain the flu because the chance for a larger outbreak is greater once the winter season arrives.
"Ship is going to just chug right along," Coyle said. "I think we're ahead of the curve."
He estimates that around 10 to 15 percent of the student population is already immune to the flu.
SU has become a member of the U.S. Influenza Sentinel Provider Surveillance Network and reports influenza findings to the Centers for Disease Control.
To test for H1N1, a test kit is used that consists of a swab for the nose and a second swab for the mouth.
Surprisingly, out of approximately 12 H1N1 tests that Etter Health Center has conducted, only two have returned positive. A negative test however, does not mean that H1N1 is not present.
According to Coyle, there have been approximately 200 to 250 students that have visited the health center with flu-like symptoms so far this semester. Coyle believes that these are all related to H1N1.
The Etter Health Center has been distributing Tamiflu to students that show influenza symptoms. The students must take the medicine within the first two days they are sick and it costs $70 for 10 pills.
Coyle and the Etter staff advise students to stay home for 24 hours until their fever is gone. Their advice includes covering your cough and washing hands often considering germs that cause influenza are mostly airborne.
Dr. Jim Turner, president of the American College Health Association and the University of West Virginia's director of student health, agrees that H1N1 ismild.
"It looks virtually identical to seasonal flu," Turner said. Much like Coyle, Turner also sees milder similarities between H1N1 and seasonal flu.
According to Turner, in general, students tend to recover around four to five days.
Another indication that the flu is mild is because of a very small number of hospitalizations due to the illness.
Turner is adamant that H1N1 is mild only in students though. Because students are of an age where they are healthy and their immune systems can handle the flu better.
He believes H1N1 should be prevented if possible due to the fact that approximately 40 children have died from H1N1 and if a pregnant woman were to become ill with the flu, the effects could be deadly.
There is hope for those who have not been stricken with the flu. A nasal spray called FluMist is available in limited supply at pharmacies.
Turner hopes that the H1N1 vaccine will be ready for distribution by late October or early November. When the vaccine arrives, it will be available at the SU health center free of cost.
Turner also believes that if more and more people become infected with the flu, it could mutate into something much worse.
"The potential for flu to mutate is high," Coyle said. In agreement with Turner's worry of mutation, Coyle still believes getting students immune by becoming sick or vaccinated will prevent a larger-scale pandemic.
In the last six weeks, 34,000 out of 3 million college students that are a part of the surveillance program were reported as having the flu.
The percentage of attack rate of H1N1 seems to be slowly decreasing in many regions according to the ACHA website.
With the winter approaching, it is still possible that the decreasing number of flu reports will peak again.
"We could certainly anticipate within the next 9 months that there will be two different waves lasting a few weeks," Turner said.
He expects a peak in the winter and in the spring.
The infamous swine flu that has traveled from the pigs of Mexico to people across the U.S. is here to stay, at least for a while longer.
It's impact is not to be undermined, but the H1N1 flu does not compare to the 1918 Influenza Pandemic in the least.
For now, students only have to worry about catching a milder and completely treatable form of the seasonal flu.
To avoid spreading the flu, wash hands frequently, practice good cough hygiene, do not share drinks and avoid crowds.
For more information about weekly H1N1 flu updates for colleges, visit www.acha.org. For more information about H1N1, visit www.cdc.gov.