The campus health clinic vaccinates students against flu

Cape gets vaccinated

By: Bailey Reutzel

Posted: 11/19/09

Cape Girardeau received shipments of the H1N1 vaccine from the government a few weeks ago, but the vaccine is not being offered to the general public, including most students just yet.

Jane Wernsman, Assistant Director of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center said that the H1N1 vaccine is only being offered to the most at-risk population right now, "children ages 6 months through 18 years, pregnant women, first responders and emergency personnel." The center is offering this vaccine free of charge. Wernsman explained that the figures in the preliminary studies show that the center has given more than 2000 students, Pre-K-fourth grade, the H1N1 vaccine.

Although the vaccine is not being offered to the general public yet, Wernsman is hoping that more vaccine will be sent our way so that the center can offer the vaccine to everyone in the area.

Sources (don't know if this is the way you word this) from Southeast Hospital explain that the on-campus health center does not offer the vaccine at this time, but the health center does rapid test for the virus and prescribes medicine.

Bruce Skinner, Director of Housing and Dining at Southeast, said that there have been 112 confirmed cases of students missing class because of the flu since Labor Day. Skinner explained that this figure includes students from Southeast's main campus and regional campuses. "This includes any student who reports to their professor that they have the flu and any student that gets tested at the health clinic on campus or another hospital and reports the information," said Skinner. "I wouldn't be surprised if 100 of those cases were actually H1N1."

Skinner also explained that medical personnel at the on-campus health clinic and at other hospitals test for Influenza A instead of H1N1. "H1 N1 is a type of Influenza A." He said that since the treatment is the same for both illnesses, hospitals and clinics test for Influenza A because this test is cheaper and more efficient than the test for H1N1. The rapid test for Influenza A is a simple nasal swab that takes about 15-20 minutes and costs about $100, whereas the H1N1 test costs around $300 and has to be sent to a private lab for diagnosis.

Many professors and students have noticed attendance decreasing as flu season attacks. Dennis Holt, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success said, "I've noticed a few people missing from my class." He explained though that since Southeast doesn't keep a centralized roster there is no way to know just how many students have been absent.

"When I had the flu, I had a fever that topped out at 103.7. All my instructors were really understanding about me missing class," said Southeast sophomore Emily Muir who was out all last week.

Not only is the treatment for Influenza A and H1N1 the same, but the symptoms are also similar. Symptoms of both include fever, chills, sore throat, cough, headaches, and fatigue. H1N1 can be contracted through contact with infected pigs or spread from person-to-person. If you have these symptoms or have had contact with anyone infected with H1N1, you can get tested at the campus health clinic located in Crisp Hall, room 101.