Students advised to take extra precautions as flu season arrives

People at high risk for the flu should get shots soon, in light of a 16-month-old Maricopa County boy's diagnosis as Arizona's first reported case of the flu this season, an official at Campus Health said yesterday.

The young boy was brought to a Phoenix-area hospital early Monday and was treated and released.

"The flu season is officially here," said Dr. Cheryl McRill, medical director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. "This is a good time to remind those at highest risk to get their shots."

Kathy Rath, a nurse in Acute Care at the Campus Health Center, said flu shots are not necessary for the average person, though getting one cannot hurt.

Those with chronic upper respiratory diseases such as asthma are more susceptible to influenza, and are encouraged to get the vaccine.

"If you have a chronic upper respiratory disease or if you've had a real flu in the past, we definitely recommend it," she said.

But flu shots are not yet readily available to students at the University of Arizona.

"We only have enough vaccines for those at a high risk for influenza, including our staff members," Rath said. "What we do have, we've already used up this season."

Campus Health was told by its suppliers that it would not be getting all the vaccines officials wanted.

Rath said a notice will go out when the center receives more vaccines.

"I don't know if we will ever get enough to vaccinate everyone, however," she added.

Rath said flu season has yet to reach the UA campus because no cases have been identified. She added that it is still very early to receive reports of flu cases.

"We might see some cases after people return from traveling all over for Thanksgiving break," Rath said, "but we most likely won't see any cases until December."

Rath said that last flu season, eight cases of influenza were identified and treated on the UA campus.

She said students often return from Winter break with flu-like symptoms, but they may be misinformed of their actual illness. Symptoms of influenza include high fever, body aches and sore throat.

"You basically feel like hell, and you want to die," Rath said.

Rath said that students who are feeling some flu symptoms often diagnose themselves, when in reality they only have a bad sore throat or haven't gotten enough rest.

"When students continue to push themselves when they feel sick, they cause the symptoms to hang on," she said.

She also suggests drinking fluids like Gatorade, which provides the body with beneficial electrolytes, as a method of prevention. Flu symptoms can often be treated with medication, including decongestants for stuffy noses, and lozenges for sore throats.