Students come down with H1N1 influenza

Last month, the University of Northern Iowa had its first case of H1N1 flu.

Sophomore Preston Sereg had H1N1 recently.

“In my case, I didn’t have any of the bad symptoms,” Sereg said. “A fever and a headache were the worst things I experienced while having H1N1, which according to my doctor, is usually about as bad as it gets.

“I got a fever around midnight on Monday, (Oct. 12), but I didn’t think anything of it until Wednesday and I was still sick,” Sereg continued. “At this point, I called the student health center to see if they thought I should come in, and they explained I needed to be tested.”

Sereg went to the doctor and it was confirmed that he had H1N1.

After surviving the ordeal, Sereg explains how he was glad to get this strain of the flu over another.

“This strand of the flu is much easier to have than other strands of the flu that involve more severe symptoms,” he said.

Although that may be the case for Sereg, in a news release from the Black Hawk County Health Department, “(a)ll influenzas have mild to dangerous symptoms. So far, H1N1 has generally resulted in mild to moderate symptoms; no more severe than seasonal influenza. ... H1N1 may be more dangerous to persons with underlying chronic health problems or immune-compromised systems.”

The UNI Student Health Clinic is available to all students, and newly-placed hand sanitizers are also available on campus. Rider Hall Residence Coordinator David Schmid described precautions for UNI residents.

“Our office received an initial shipment of 1,000 pre-prepared and non-perishable meals for sick students,” Schmid said. “This way, the student doesn’t have to leave the room for anything.”

To combat the spread of sickness in the first place, the coordinators also received bottles of hand sanitizer to be dispersed throughout dorm halls. This includes one large bottle per room and one smaller bottle for every resident.

 

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