H1N1 virus can be avoided without vaccine
A vaccine has finally been made available for the H1N1 flu, but it’s not something everyone should obsess over. According to Steve Dickerson’s article on the front page of this issue, Johnson County received the vaccine on Monday, with more shipments on the way. Johnson County is not alone. There have been 2.4 million doses of the vaccine created and shipped across the country. The Associated Press reported this week that the demand is quickly outnumbering the supply. But there’s no reason for anyone to panic. The H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, is very similar to the common flu, although considered slightly more serious. Swine flu is contagious and is spread human-to-human, as is the seasonal flu. If you cannot get the vaccine, taking normal precautions taken to avoid the seasonal flu can help reduce the chances of catching the H1N1 flu. The most important thing we can do is stay calm. When the flu broke out in April, the public went into hysteria. This led to increased fear over the new virus. Other than that, simple things can be done to avoid getting sick. When coughing or sneezing, covering the mouth and nose helps cut down on germs spread into the air. Hand washing is very important, especially immediately after coughing or sneezing. Also, people who are sick should be avoided. However, this does not mean we can ignore H1N1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported this is more severe than the seasonal flu, although they share the same symptoms. The CDC also insists that if anyone feels sick, or experiences flu-like symptoms, he or she should avoid contact with others for at least 24 hours. By taking the simple preventative measures previously mentioned, such as covering your mouth or washing your hand, we can keep our campus healthy. If you feel sick, do not take the risk; see a doctor as soon as possible. So far, there have been no cases of H1N1 reported on campus, and if we follow these simple guidelines, we can certainly keep the flu off our campus as well.
