What is Fresno City College
doing to combat the expected
onslaught of the H1N1 virus?
Everything, said Jennifer
Brennan, Health Services Coordinator
at Fresno City College.
The college is training faculty and
waging a large-scale public education
to inform the FCC community
and minimize the impact of a potential
flu onslaught. There will
be posters put up around campus
to help spread further awareness,
Brennan said.
“Prevention is everything,”
said Brennan. “The No. 1 way
to stay healthy is to wash your
hands.” She added that people
should keep their hands away from
their faces. “If you have to sneeze
or cough, do it into your elbow or
sleeve. If you feel sick, stay home
from school,” she said, adding that
anyone with a cough and a fever
of over 100 F will automatically
be sent home.
Presently, there is currently
no vaccine available for H1N1 virus
at FCC, but Brennan explained
that once an expected shipment
of 25,000 doses of the vaccine
arrives, students, faculty and staff
will be vaccinated, free of charge,
on a first come, first served basis.
Because of the revised CDC
recommendations, the expected
shipment is only a half of what
was originally planned. According
to the new requirements, only
one dose is needed instead of
the two that had been previously
recommended. There will also
be a regular influenza vaccine for
the reduced cost of $10 compared
to $15 last year. The Health Services
office will be receiving this
vaccine before the H1N1 doses
get here.
The World Health Organization
reported that close to 3,000
people have died from the swine
flu worldwide. On whether the
situation could get out of hand,
Brennan said, “I don’t think so,
I hope not. If it’s already in 150
countries, then it’s already a pandemic.”
It is important that as swine
flu spreads, people learn to recognize
the symptoms of the disease both in themselves and others at an early stage to help contain it, according to information on the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How can one tell if he or she has it?
H1N1 is very similar to the common seasonal flu. According to the CDC, the symptoms include a fever over 100 degrees, respiratory congestion, coughing, sore throat, body aches, and in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting. Anyone with these symptoms should contact their local health providers to determine if testing is needed. People experiencing these symptoms should also wear a mask or ask for one when they arrive at the health center. Pregnant women are especially susceptible to the virus and are also asked to wear a mask while at the health clinic. Mothers with babies younger than 6 months should get immunized because of the risk imposed to their baby.
What should FCC students do if they suspect they have the H1N1 flu?
Any student who has symptoms of the virus should visit the campus health services center to check their temperature. A student who is sent home for high temperature should contact his or her local health provider for proper testing and treatment. It is also that student’s responsibility to contact his instructors to work out arrangements about making up missed work, Brennan said.
The Swine flu began in the spring of 2009 when Mexico received its first case of a novel influenza virus. Shortly after, it spread to the United States. The virus got its name, “swine flu”, after the initial reports related to a respiratory disease in pigs. The first case in the US was reported in the state of Illinois in late April. Thousands of cases have followed since. Illinois is reported to have the highest number of cases in the nation. Later named the H1N1 flu, the swine flu was spreading so quickly that by the month of June, the World Health Organization signaled a global pandemic was underway. At that time there were more than 70 countries with reported cases. Today that number has more than doubled.