The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified individuals 24 years of age and younger as high risk for contracting H1N1 influenza. Penn State's University Health Services now has a limited supply of H1N1 nasal spray vaccine available for students in this high risk group. (more)
Vaccination against both seasonal and H1N1 influenza is recommended for college students. It is possible to contract both the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu since exposure to one does not give immunity to the other. (more)
University health officials are sharing various kinds of information this fall to help the community understand the breadth and impact of seasonal flu and H1N1 illness across the student community, and to stay in touch with ill students as they rest and recover. Penn State's Division of Student Affairs, through the Office of Residence Life, has created a simple self-reporting page through its eLiving Web site. University Park students living both on campus and off are encouraged to log in to the eLiving site to register their flulike illnesses, whether seasonal flu or suspected H1N1, through the Student Flu Status link. (more)
Penn State's University Park campus is registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health as an H1N1 vaccination site for students. "We have not yet received confirmation that we will be a PUSH site for the vaccinations, but we fully expect that to happen," said Margaret Spear, director of University Health Services (UHS). "We volunteered because of our high concentration of the population most affected by the virus - those up to age 24." The Bryce Jordan Center is the most probable site of the vaccination distribution, because logistically it can handle a much higher traffic load than University Health Services. The University expects to receive enough vaccinations to inoculate all eligible students who wish to be vaccinated, Spear said. (more)
Students who are ill are being asked to stay home from class to recover from the flu. Here are some frequently asked questions that should provide students with guidance on how to tell if they have the flu and what to do about making up missed classwork or exams. (more)
University Health Services (UHS) has seen over 400 cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) since the start of the fall semester. All of these students have recovered or are recovering without complications. Approximately 50 percent of ill students living in residence halls have followed UHS' advice to recover at home; 25 percent of ill students have used residence hall isolation spaces. (more)
A third of the way into the fall semester, reports of H1N1 flu have continued to increase, according to Dr. Margaret Spear, director of University Health Services at Penn State. Easily spread among college-age students, the illness requires those who are sick to avoid public areas, such as work or class, and to stay away from people until they recover (self-isolate). To accomplish this many Penn State faculty, staff, students and peer tutors are responding in particularly helpful ways -- like encouraging students to stay home when they are ill. (more)
Fall begins the season for any number of viruses to make their appearance in the campus population. Colds, sore throat and other ailments become more commonplace, which could lead you to wonder if you have contracted the flu or if you simply are a bit under the weather. To help you determine if you may have contracted the flu, University Health Services has provided a guide to the symptoms and ailments that most commonly accompany the flu virus. In general, the flu is more likely to have fever, muscle aches, headache and fatigue, and less likely to have predominant symptoms of sneezing and nasal congestion. (more)
It's flu season, and whether you have the H1N1 virus or just the garden variety flu virus, you may not feel like doing much of anything -- especially going out to meet friends or heading off to work. That's a good thing, according to health care professionals. Anyone with flu-like symptoms should do all they can to avoid contact with others, at least until 24 hours after their fever has cleared without the use of fever-reducing medications. With the number of flu cases expected to rise in the coming month as flu season hits its stride, doctors in University Health Services have prepared a Self-Care Guide for Influenza. (more)
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services held a Flu Prevention PSA Contest that asked contestants to make videos "that will inform and motivate people to take steps that will help prevent the spread of the flu. Make your video fun, smart and entertaining." One of the finalists is a "toothbrush prank" video, that carries with it a serious and timely message. Click on the full story to reach a link to watch it, as well as additional videos housed on the Department's YouTube channel. (more)
