In the past few weeks, the BYU–Hawaii Health Center has faced a surge of Influenza A and B infections among students. With an average of 15 to 18 visits from students a day, the Health Center is encouraging students to take measures to prevent the flu from spreading.
Lena Tyau, a registered nurse at the Health Center, first said, “Normally the flu season tapers off around February, maybe earlier than that. We have been seeing steady cases of flu since flu season began last year. Yesterday, April 8, we did over 17 positive cases of the flu, most of them Type B. Today, April 9, we’re following suit and we have 13 positive cases. It is being spread like wildfire.”
Man Huen Ng, a freshman from Hong Kong with an undecided major, recently recovered from the flu. Of the experience, she recalled, “It was really hard and painful. When I was sick, I sometimes felt cold, sometimes hot. Sometimes my head was hot, but my body was cold. It was hard to even walk to the bathroom because I didn’t have enough energy.”
Tyau counseled, “The main thing which is spreading the flu is people who are sick already. We want them to stay home. I know it’s difficult because it’s finals, but they can come see us at the Health Center for a note to give to the professors. We’re working on getting the word out to the professors so they can anticipate not having as many students in class.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common signs and symptoms of the flu include
- Fever or feeling feverish/chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children than adults)
On the CDC’s website, the organization clarified not every person with the flu would end up with a fever. Some can have respiratory symptoms without having a fever.
Tyau advised sick students to “Just stay home. For the students who are well, I would recommend washing your hands regularly with soap and water, or the hand sanitizer gel.”
Tyau also brought up the danger of the cafeteria, which contains what she called “community spoons,” which are serving spoons used to put salad and other food on plates.
“After students use a spoon or a ladle, others will be touching, they should immediately use the hand sanitizer dispensers in the cafeteria.”
Tyau said she already contacted the Director of Food Services to make sure all the dispensers would have full hand sanitizer for student use. She also warned against unnecessary physical contact.
“In church, we are a social people. Shaking hands, hugging, kissing and other things can pass germs without us knowing it. We at the Health Center recommend a fist bump. To stay well is to make sure you are hydrated. If people around you insist on still going to class and are sneezing and coughing, the best thing to do is invest in a mask.
“The flu is a virus, and there are not too many drugs which will fight off viruses. If you catch the flu early, there is an antiviral which will lessen the infection by one or two days, but the students’ healthcare plan does not cover it. The health insurance does not cover the antiviral because it doesn’t cure you, it only lessens the infection. Out-of-pocket, the name brand drug will cost 120 dollars, while the generic brand will cost 100 dollars.”
To prevent more people from getting sick, Tyau recommended students sick with the flu not come to the Health Center unless they had breathing problems, chest pains, and severe headaches. “Otherwise, just staying home and resting is the best solution.”
When asked what students could do to help sick friend and roommates, Tyau said “I would say invest in a mask and wash your hands frequently. You might also want to get some wipes or Lysol spray and spray the bathroom sinks, toilet handle, and doorknobs. The flu germ dies off pretty quickly but could still linger around. If you rub your eyes and touch your nose after touching an infected surface, you’ll get the virus.
“It’s hard to tell how long this virus could last. People are going to be going home soon, and could potentially spread it around their homes. We saw so many people today and yesterday, and they had already been to class, so who knows how many people could be infected?
“It may come to a point where classes need to be shut down,” Tyau said, “but I don’t know how many cases it would take for it to happen. If we see a consistent rise in the number of people with the flu, the doctor may talk with the administration.”
To students who were sick but concerned about missing their classes, Tyau assured them rest was most important, and staying home would prevent the infection of more students.
Ben Cranney, a freshman from California majoring in business, had the flu but continued to go to his classes. When asked why, Cranney responded “I would love to stay home and rest, but I worry my professors wouldn’t slow down the class for me. I don’t feel like I’d be ready for finals.
“I just try to keep my germs to myself as much as possible,” he said. “I feel really sick, but I feel like my grades will matter more to me in the long run once I get better. Having the flu is not fun. I have to force myself to get up and I always feel paranoid about getting other people sick.”
Writer: Elijah Hadley