During the first week of January the Center for Disease Control saw a major decrease in the influenza virus, however this may not be the last we see of it this year.
Betty Desilvio, a nurse at the Student Health Center said that the CDC predicts that we will have another flurry of the flu yet this season.
The way that the virus works Desilvio said is that there are certain peak points where the virus is more prone to spread. The peak months for the flu epidemic are November through January. This is the best time for people to get flu shots or flu mist. However, flu shots and mist are available other times as well. The only problem is that much of the area, including the Student Health Center are out of the flu shots and probably will not be getting more currently. However the flu mist is available to people that meet the criteria.
People are still encouraged to go out and get the flu mist since the flu flurry might not quite be over yet.
The CDC website said that the national percentage of reported influenza attacks have decreased by 2.8 percent in the past month. Although this is the case, the CDC predicts that with the cold weather upon us they think there will be a sudden on slaught of this virus again before February.
Desilvio said that many people think of the flu as vomiting, nausea and fever. However, she said that the flu is actually a respiratory infection brought on through the closeness of someone who is affected with the virus.
“Not everyone who is around the flu will get it,” Desilvio said.
However she cautions people to take full advantage of the free flu mists that are being offered at the Student Health Center.
“Even if you would get the flu after having a flu shot or flu mist the symptoms would be much milder than if you had not gotten the immunization,” she said.
During this flu season Desilvio said that 750 flu mists and 1,200 flu shots were given out to students and faculty at the University. According to Desilvio and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention we have not seen the last of this seasonal virus. The flu hit many parts of the country this season spreading symptoms in full force; however students and everyone else need to prepare for another break out of the influenza virus.
