Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
H1N1 hits college campuses just as classes begin
Tampa, Florida --
At the University of Tampa, a new school year brings new students and a new sickness.
"We're all concerned about the H1N1 flu. It is definitely in the community," said UT health director Sharon Schaefer.
Schaefer hopes to keep it out of the college community but it is tough to get students to take something like swine flu seriously.
"They don't worry about it until it happens to them or they think it's not going to happen them," said Schaefer.
That's the attitude we found as we talked to kids around campus. One incoming freshman said, "I don't really know anyone with swine flu, so I haven't had to worry about it much."
Freshman Brianna Volkmer said, "I don't think I would ever come down with anything."
That is exactly why the federal government launched a PSA campaign contest on YouTube just last week. The goal is to get people to take this sickness seriously.
One entry was a rap song that goes, "I'm coughing and sneezing and feeling queasy, I think I'll call up the CDC."
The bottom line to these PSA ideas: only you can prevent the flu.
UT is doing its best to be ready for the worst, especially since five suspected cases hit the Health and Counseling Center this week.
"My gut feeling is that we're going to be like the rest of the people. In two weeks, we're going to have a lot of it," said Schaefer.
"That scares me very much," said Volkmer. Scary as it seems, mom Christine is not surprised. "I know it is everywhere and getting very hard to control."
UT is not the only campus to have suspected cases. Last week, officials with USF told 10 Connects they've seen too many cases to count.
So far, 66 people have died in Florida, at least a dozen of those are young people in the Bay area.
For prevention tips, click here.
http://www.channel10.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=112510&catid=8
Tampa, Florida --
At the University of Tampa, a new school year brings new students and a new sickness.
"We're all concerned about the H1N1 flu. It is definitely in the community," said UT health director Sharon Schaefer.
Schaefer hopes to keep it out of the college community but it is tough to get students to take something like swine flu seriously.
"They don't worry about it until it happens to them or they think it's not going to happen them," said Schaefer.
That's the attitude we found as we talked to kids around campus. One incoming freshman said, "I don't really know anyone with swine flu, so I haven't had to worry about it much."
Freshman Brianna Volkmer said, "I don't think I would ever come down with anything."
That is exactly why the federal government launched a PSA campaign contest on YouTube just last week. The goal is to get people to take this sickness seriously.
One entry was a rap song that goes, "I'm coughing and sneezing and feeling queasy, I think I'll call up the CDC."
The bottom line to these PSA ideas: only you can prevent the flu.
UT is doing its best to be ready for the worst, especially since five suspected cases hit the Health and Counseling Center this week.
"My gut feeling is that we're going to be like the rest of the people. In two weeks, we're going to have a lot of it," said Schaefer.
"That scares me very much," said Volkmer. Scary as it seems, mom Christine is not surprised. "I know it is everywhere and getting very hard to control."
UT is not the only campus to have suspected cases. Last week, officials with USF told 10 Connects they've seen too many cases to count.
So far, 66 people have died in Florida, at least a dozen of those are young people in the Bay area.
For prevention tips, click here.
http://www.channel10.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=112510&catid=8