Swine Flu | ESU Bulletin

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“With H1N1, we’re seeing more stomach upset than we do with regular seasonal flu,” said Jan Noyes, nurse practitioner for the Emporia State Health Center. “A lot of time we see nausea. We see vomiting. We see diarrhea.”

A new plan for dealing with the H1N1 virus, also known as Swine Flu, was released from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education last Thursday. The plan detailed how school officials should deal with the virus during the upcoming flu season.

According to the World Health Organization, the infection rate across the globe has reached level 6, or pandemic levels, meaning that more than one global region has been infected.

Jan Noyes, nurse practitioner for the Emporia State Health Center, said that there have been no reported cases of H1N1 at Emporia State.

“We have had no confirmed cases of H1N1,” Noyes said. “We have had confirmed cases with Influenza A”

The main focus of preparation has been set on prevention. This includes preventing students from getting the virus and preventing those who do get it from spreading to others.

“They are having a campaign to tell people how to prevent getting the flu,” Noyes said. “They put out an announcement answering the most common questions about what is the difference between the seasonal flu and the H1N1 and why there is a need to have vaccines for both of them.”

The H1N1 vaccine, along with the Influenza A vaccine, will be offered at the health center as soon as they are available.

“Right now, (the Kansas Department of Health and Environment) is giving us updates on when we can expect to get the vaccines and it seems like every week it is changing,” Noyes said. “The seasonal flu vaccines will probably come first.”

However, persons who are at the most risk will be offered the first set of vaccines, Noyes said. This includes pregnant women, small children and young adults up to age 25 and healthcare professionals.

Noyes encourages everyone, especially the people who are at the most risk, to get both a seasonal flu shot and a H1N1 vaccine. Seasonal flu shots will not protect individual from the H1N1 virus.

“Everyone needs to get their seasonal flu shot along with the H1N1 when it does come out,” Noyes said. “The seasonal shot will not cover the H1N1 virus.”

If students suspect that they have the flu, H1N1 or otherwise, Noyes suggests that they isolate themselves. If students do come into the health center with flu like symptoms, precautionary measures will be taken.

“If somebody is coming in with a cough, we’re just going to automatically ask them to mask until we find out what’s going on them,” Noyes said. “We’ll try to get them back in a room to isolate them immediately.”

Symptoms for H1N1 and seasonal flu are similar, including high fever, cough and sore throat.

“With H1N1, we’re seeing more stomach upset than we do with regular seasonal flu,” Noyes said. “A lot of time we see nausea. We see vomiting. We see diarrhea.”

Students can take steps to prevent contracting the disease.

“If you want to prevent it, wash your hands,” said Marjorie Werly, director of public relations and executive assistant to the president. “If you do feel yourself getting sick, segregate yourself until the fever has gone away.

According to the WHO, persons with H1N1 can be contagious for up to seven days. Werly said that students should continue to isolate themselves until 24 hours after their fever has subsided and they have stopped taking medication.

Gary Wyatt, professor of sociology, anthropology and crime and delinquency studies said he is worried for his students.

“I’ve always had a strict attendance policy but I got very worried about what I was hearing about the swine flu,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt was so worried, in fact, that he changed his attendance policy.

“Students might come and compromise everyone else’s health,” he said. “If you honestly feel you might be getting sick, contact me and absolutely don’t come to class. Stay home until you feel better. I would feel awful if someone came to class because they were worried about missing points and infected everyone else.”

Ashley Peaches/The Bulletin

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 64 cases of Swine Flu in the U.S., including two cases in Kansas.

Swine Influenza, or Swine Flu, is a respiratory disease in pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs, according to the CDC.

“This virus is normally transmitted in pigs but now, probably because of mutation, it’s starting to adapt to human beings,” said Eric Yang, assistant professor of biological sciences.

The CDC has reported that the World Health Organization has raised the alert level to Phase 5, meaning that human-to-human transmission has occurred. There are six levels in WHO’s pandemic alert system.

“The disease we found in the United States is much more alleviated compared to the cases in Mexico,” Yang said. “The reason that we are on high alert is because we have no measure to control, for example, transportation.”

Yang associated Swine Flu with the 2003 outbreak of SARS in China.

“If China was able to control transportation, it could have been stopped,” he said. “But we cannot do that here. (The ease of transportation) allows the virus to spread out.”

Before this sudden outbreak, only 12 cases of Swine Flu had been reported to the CDC since 2005, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Energy.

The two persons diagnosed with Swine Flu in Kansas are still ill and recovering, according to KDHE, and neither of them has been hospitalized.

Maggie Thompson, director of public relations for KDHE, said that no updates have been released on their condition.

Both persons live in the same household, one having been to Mexico recently. Those who have been in contact with the individuals are being tested for the virus as well, according to KDHE.

The CDC reported that Swine Flu could not be contracted by eating pork, even if the animal was infected.

“You cannot get the disease by consuming pork,” Yang said. “It is transmitted through the respiratory track and not the intestinal tract.”

However, the government of Egypt began an effort earlier this week to slaughter all pigs within the country in an effort to prevent the swine flu from spreading.

Swine Flu is transmitted like any other influenza virus, through the air and close contact with individuals that are infected.

Paper facemasks can be used to help prevent individuals from contracting the virus.

“(The masks) would help to prevent them from getting it because it’s transmitted just like any other flu,” Yang said.

However, just touching an infected animal will not transmit the virus.

“Of course, if you have very close contact with a pig, you could get it because the virus is transmitted through the air,” Yang said.

The CDC stated that cleaner environments can help curb the spread of the virus.

“The best way to prevent contracting the disease is to wash your hands as often as possible,” Yang said.

Cases of Swine Flu have been reported in years past, including a case in 1988 when a pregnant woman in Wisconsin contracted the disease and died 8 days later. In Fort Dix, New Jersey, 200 cases were reported in 1976 and one death resulted according to the CDC.