Influenza is on the rise in Memphis with shared fears from students across campus.
The Student Health Center has seen multiple students per day test positive for the flu.
“So far we have diagnosed 18 cases of flu this month,” Jaquee Defouw, health educator at the University of Memphis Student Health Center, said.
Health professionals claim if the flu is not caught within a certain time frame, it may test negative, even though the person may still be a carrier of the virus.
With 18 cases and counting, coughing and sniffling are just a few of the noises that can be heard upon entrance to any classroom. “There were a lot of people coughing around me in class today,” said Kierra Peoples, sophomore exercise and sport science major. “It got so bad that my professor had to open the window to let the classroom air out.”
“I even caught myself looking around to see if anyone else was onto the same thing that I was at the time—tallying all the coughers,” Peoples said.
Given that the flu is a respiratory illness, some of the symptoms include coughing, sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, fever, body aches and fatigue.
“Unfortunately, this year we are seeing people who also have GI symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea,” Defouw said. Flu-like symptoms can come on suddenly and abruptly.
“You may feel fine in the morning, but then, all of a sudden, in the afternoon everything hurts–even the hair on your head,” Defouw said.
Students who believe they may have been exposed to the virus can visit the campus health center.
“We can prescribe Tamiflu, or several other anti-viral prescription options,” Defouw said. “Staff or students should get the antiviral drugs in their system within 48 hours of feeling poorly."
Those drugs are intended to shorten the length of time that they are sick and lessen the symptoms.
Although the flu is airborne and highly contagious, it can be prevented. Health professionals have affectionately adopted ‘Cover Your Cough,’ advocating coughing in the elbow bend of the arm.
“You should be careful about touching your hands to your face- - especially your eyes, nose and mouth,” Defouw said.
It is also worth noting many shared hard surfaces can stay teeming with germs for several weeks, according to Defouw.
All it takes is one student sneezing over a classroom keyboard to infect the next one.
“Most of the people in my classes have been sick lately, most specifically within the past two weeks. Fortunately, I have not displayed any symptoms,” Sarah Alford, sophomore recording technology major said.
Students who do not wash or sanitize their hands regularly are at high risk of coming into contact with the flu.
Disinfectants such as Lysol spray and wipes can be used to sanitize keyboards, chairs and desks.
“When you go into a classroom, you don’t know who sat in the desk before you,” Defouw said. “The very chair that you choose to sit in could have live germs on it.”
