Over the past 40 years, February has most commonly marked flu season’s peak month. Although the virus is spreading rapidly around the country in one of the worst flu seasons in recent memory, there are still ways to protect yourself and others from getting sick.
Preventing the flu
There’s still time to receive the influenza vaccine to boost your immunity to the virus. It is often recommended to get the vaccine in the early fall to ensure your protection from the flu before it begins spreading. However, the flu shot only takes about two weeks to create viral immunity, meaning it might still be helpful at this point in the season. Flu shots are available at the Student Health Center and are free with most insurance. For uninsured students, the shot costs $53.
Lifestyle can also play a role in sickness prevention. Steps like avoiding crowds and keeping your hands, face and surfaces clean can lower your risk of infection. Students who are ill should stay home from class to help protect their peers and instructors.
If you’re sick
The flu typically lasts an unpleasant one to two weeks, but there are ways to mitigate its discomfort. Rest and hydration should be prioritized for those recovering from the virus. The Student Health Center’s pharmacy also carries an array of common over-the-counter medications that can help provide symptom relief, such as cough suppressants, pain and fever relievers and decongestants.
Students experiencing severe symptoms or with medical conditions that increase their likelihood of infection complications should pursue medical treatment. In appropriate cases, a medical practitioner might prescribe antiviral drugs to help reduce symptoms and prevent complications. These medications are more effective the sooner they are taken after symptom onset, particularly within the first 48 hours of the illness, so higher-risk infected students should not delay in seeking medical attention.
The Student Health Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Appointments can be made online or over the phone. Students experiencing urgent health problems can speak with a Student Health Center nurse at 812-856-5002 or 812-856-5003.
If students have both been experiencing overall symptom improvement and have not experienced fever (without the use of fever reducers) for 24 hours, they can resume normal activities.
