Health officials urge inoculation as flu season nears

With the release of H1N1 vaccines in mid-October, UTC reinforces the importance of personal protection against the virus.Dr. Chris Smith, associate professor, coordinator and family nurse practitioner in the school of nursing, said October through April is considered flu season, with the virus more prevalent toward the end of November, December and January.

"There are no known cases of seasonal flu [at UTC] at this time," Smith said. "However, [we] have 76 cases of the H1N1 virus, and they are all mild."

According to The New York Times, H1N1 was first diagnosed in the U.S. in April 2009 after being found in other countries a few weeks earlier.

The H1N1 virus was called "swine flu" in the early months of the outbreak because it had similarities to influenzas in pigs, according to the New York Times and reported a later analysis which found the virus was a mutation of several viruses.

Chancellor Roger Brown said UTC has been lucky given the reach of the virus.

"We have been fortunate that the H1N1 flu outbreak on our campus has not been as severe as we expected from early projections," he said. "Our students, faculty and staff are taking the necessary precautions to protect themselves and others."

Dr. John Delaney, vice chancellor of student development, said numerous measures have been taken to inform and educate the students on ways to avoid risk of exposure.

"We have closely followed the CDC guidelines in terms of helping any sick students take care of their medical needs and avoid passing the virus to others," Delaney said. "Reports indicate that the H1N1 virus is not going away any time soon, so it is likely that college campuses will continue to deal with this medical concern for an extended period of time.

"Once we passed through the first few weeks of the fall term, the number of cases has dropped and the reports of students presenting with H1N1 or flu symptoms has dropped," Delaney said.

Smith said, "We're covering [students] with a lot of information, giving out cold and flu thermometer cards, talking about hand washing."

"From a standpoint of education.I think we're a lot more aware of what we need to do to prevent from getting the flu," Smith said.

Delaney said, "Students and faculty members seem to have adjusted fairly smoothly to coping with this concern and working through each situation on a case-by-case basis."

Smith said the faculty needs to be commended as well.

"[The faculty] understands the health needs of the students who are ill in their classes," she said. "We are reaching out to accommodate students who are not able to attend classes.everyone's working together."

Brown said: "We are seeing the increased use of hand sanitizers in departments across the campus. I personally have begun to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in my car."

Delaney said he has also taken precautions to avoid catching the virus.

"I am following these basic guidelines to wash my hands regularly, use hand sanitizer regularly and just being aware of my surroundings to avoid unnecessary exposure," he said. "I also had the flu shot last week when the nursing program had these available in the UC."

Smith said, "The symptoms for both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus are the same.but we treat both the same way as well."

The H1N1 vaccine will be available nationwide in mid to late October, Smith said.

"About 12,000 H1N1 vaccines will be available [to UTC] as soon as we get them from the state," Smith said. "When ours are gone, there are other places to get them, like University Health Services and MinuteClinics. The H1N1 vaccines will be absolutely free."

While 400 seasonal flu shots were prioritized for UTC students, faculty and staff, Smith said the H1N1 vaccine will be available for everyone.

"If you want to bring your roommate that doesn't go to UTC, you can," she said. "Some places may charge an administration fee [for the vaccine] but we will not."

However, Smith said not everybody is going to get vaccinated.

"Some people don't think it's been tested long enough, and they're worried about the side effects," she said. "But [the vaccine] proves to be valid."

Marcelle Vander Elst, a Franklin Tenn., sophomore, said. "I don't really think [I will get a shot], because my parents don't really seem to think it's that big of a deal."

Sarah Cortes, a Chattanooga sophomore, said she will not get the H1N1 vaccine.

"I already had the flu, so the shot is now unnecessary [for me]," Cortes said.

Smith said if students choose not to get vaccinated, they need to be extremely vigilant about staying away from people who have the flu.

Delaney said, "Our health care partnership with Erlanger and the UT College of Medicine provides us with ready access to excellent resources and personnel to help ensure that we are staying on top of these concerns and can deliver the best services to our students when they need health care assistance."

Smith said: "I can't predict what we're going to see because we're still getting spikes in the cases. If you're not feeling well, then contact your healthcare provider or the University Health Services."

Brown said, "With the H1N1 vaccine now beginning to arrive in health departments in our area, I have high hopes that we will control this outbreak to manageable proportions.