Since April, swine flu has been spreading throughout the United States. According to the CDC, it is spreading by personal contact and by contact with unclean surfaces previously touched by people with H1N1.
According to the Center for Disease Control’s Web site, H1N1 is not the same sort of virus found in North American pigs and spreads through humans, not from pigs to humans or from pork products to humans.
Influenza is currently reported to be prevalent in 46 states, and the CDC’s 2009 H1N1 Flu: Situation Update Web page reports “almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far are 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These viruses remain similar to the virus chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.”
UW-Oshkosh has taken steps to make the student body aware of how H1N1 can be spread, and how students can avoid catching or spreading H1N1.
Student Chase Granzow said that he approves of Oshkosh’s efforts to warn students against the virus.
“It’s good that they’re informing people how to avoid it,” Granzow said. “I don’t think that people are going to get it.”
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Petra Roter, who is a member of the campus pandemic response team, said that there are no “confirmed cases” of H1N1 on campus, although that is partially because the Student Health Center is unable to confirm suspected cases without the right equipment.
In addition, Roter said that the Student Health Center does not currently have the H1N1 vaccine available.
Other local health centers do not have the vaccine available either, but Roter anticipates a new shipment of the vaccine will soon be available.
“Most institutions and most cities and most campuses are just receiving (the vaccine because it) takes a certain period of time to culture and then manufacture,” she said. “Most of the companies that manufacture the vaccine are just starting to send out shipments in the last couple of weeks.”
But Oshkosh should have the vaccine soon.
“We’ve put in an order quite some time ago, and we just begun receiving small amounts,” she said. “And hopefully we’ll get our large shipment in within the next week or two.”
Roter warned that while “we have not seen as many cases (and) we haven’t seen the amount and the severity that some of the other campuses across the state, individuals (may) become more complacent” thus allowing H1N1 to gain a foothold on campus.
“Individuals are, I think, still aware (and) still concerned, based on the feedback we’ve gotten from our campus community,” Roter said.
She suggested several ways that students can protect themselves from H1N1 this flu season. Besides getting the vaccination on campus when it’s made available, Roter stressed good personal hygiene, such as covering coughs and washing hands.
In addition, she recommended that students with H1N1 remain in their dorms.
The University Web site also regularly updates H1N1 information.
While H1N1 has not harmed the daily operation of Oshkosh, resources available from the Student Health Center and other campus facilities remain essential tools for students concerned about their health.
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