Federal health authorities expect the H1N1 virus, more commonly known as the Swine Flu, to hit with full force this flu season. As students head back to crowded dorms and classrooms, schools are taking extra precautions to prevent outbreaks, including Mills College.
Colleges have reason to take early precaution, as shown at Washington State University (WSU), because once H1N1 takes hold, it can spread fast. According to the New York Times, as of September 5, at least 2000 students at the school had reported H1N1 symptoms. Apparently the outbreak occurred around August 21, after which the flu ran wild on campus. WSU has no quarantine program in place like Mills, and students are mostly being told to just stay home and take fever reducing medication. As of now, no students have been hospitalized and the flu outbreak at WSU seems to be relatively mild.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued official guidelines for colleges to respond to the influenza during the 2009-2010 school year on their
Published in Health & Wellness Stephanie is a contributing writer for The Campanil.