Health officials with St. Thomas University have been watching absenteeism of faculty, staff, and students as fears about the swine flu grow, but it has yet to spike.
Despite this, Ryan Sullivan, Director of Residence Life at STU, says that students are still very anxious about the H1N1 virus.
“The media has set some sort of panic on the public,” he said.
This can be seen on white boards around Harrington Hall reading “Quarantine: H1N1.”
As of Friday morning, 19 STU students reported flu-like symptoms to Residence Life and the Registrar’s Office.
Seven of these students have gone home as instructed.
Those who remain on campus have been asked to isolate themselves.
Although living in residence with communal washrooms and a roommate can make this difficult, they are encouraged to take precautions: wash hands thoroughly and avoid sharing drinks and cell phones.
The University of New Brunswick’s Student Health Centre has had its first lab-confirmed case of H1N1 Influenza. The patient is a UNB student, and regulations will have the student either sent home or isolated in a particular wing in a UNB residence.
H1N1 can only be clinically detected in certain situations. Officials ask people with severe flu-like symptoms or who have symptoms and are among the priority groups to see a doctor. Mild-moderate cases should stay at home unless their symptoms worsen.
Vaccination clinics in New Brunswick are currently restricted to priority groups. These include children aged six months to 18 years, pregnant women over 20 weeks or with underlying medical conditions, and First Nations people living on reserves.
STU and UNB senior administrative committees are working with NB Health Officials to arrange vaccination dates in late November on STU and UNB campuses for students, faculty and staff.
In the meantime, students are encouraged to get the seasonal flu shot.
Sullivan says the bottom line is that people have to create a balance.
Students have to take care of themselves during the “second wave” of the H1N1 virus, but they should not overreact to it either.
“If someone has the flu, it may very well be H1N1,” Sullivan said, “but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be severe enough that they need to be tested and then given anti-viral for the flu.”
STU and UNB continue to follow “the lead” of NB Health Officials and the Student Health Centre.
“Our health services here have been a tremendous resource and help to us,” Sullivan said. “The work they’re doing…to get the vaccination clinics organized, to provide volunteers…[has] been tremendous…The service that students are getting, whether they realise it or not, is amazing.”
As of Friday, 140,000 New Brunswickers have been vaccinated.
There have been no reports of H1N1 flu related deaths in the province.
