SectionsMissouri State students battle the flu
Kandice McKee
Issue date: 9/22/09 Section: News
A new, highly contagious virus has been on campus since summer, and the university began preparing for its effects months before the first student was infected.
Though it's his first year on campus, Robert Scott, a physician at Taylor Health and Wellness Center, said Taylor is seeing more patients than usual at this time of year due to the H1N1 virus.
Director of Taylor Health and Wellness Burnie Snodgrass and nursing coordinator Connie Pyle agree that H1N1 is the culprit for more visits to Taylor.
"Normally, at this time of year, we wouldn't have any flu," Snodgrass said.
But this year, Snodgrass said Taylor saw about 20 patients a day with flu-like symptoms during the fourth week of classes. That's an increase from a week before where the Center saw about 10-12 flu cases a day.
Because the normal flu season doesn't begin until November, every person with flu-like symptoms is being diagnosed with H1N1.
"We know that the flu that is in this area is H1N1," Snodgrass said. "It's kind of like, you see a pink Cadillac, you think it's a pink Cadillac, and guess what? It's a pink Cadillac."
The university began preparing for the virus before it made its debut on campus in mid-July.
The flu fighters
While H1N1 is most common in those under 24 years old, Snodgrass said the virus is no worse than the regular flu.
"There's no use in being afraid of this," Snodgrass said. "Let's learn about it, and deal with it. That's the way life is everyday - it throws us a curve.
"We're not going to prevent it from coming. What we can do is prevent it from having a big of an impact as it would if we don't prepare the campus."
Even though the number of H1N1 cases on campus is increasing, Snodgrass said Missouri State's numbers are low in comparison to other college campuses around the nation.
In more severe instances, Washington State University has had nearly 2,500 students infected and Cornell has had about 625 infected.
Though it's his first year on campus, Robert Scott, a physician at Taylor Health and Wellness Center, said Taylor is seeing more patients than usual at this time of year due to the H1N1 virus.
Director of Taylor Health and Wellness Burnie Snodgrass and nursing coordinator Connie Pyle agree that H1N1 is the culprit for more visits to Taylor.
"Normally, at this time of year, we wouldn't have any flu," Snodgrass said.
But this year, Snodgrass said Taylor saw about 20 patients a day with flu-like symptoms during the fourth week of classes. That's an increase from a week before where the Center saw about 10-12 flu cases a day.
Because the normal flu season doesn't begin until November, every person with flu-like symptoms is being diagnosed with H1N1.
"We know that the flu that is in this area is H1N1," Snodgrass said. "It's kind of like, you see a pink Cadillac, you think it's a pink Cadillac, and guess what? It's a pink Cadillac."
The university began preparing for the virus before it made its debut on campus in mid-July.
The flu fighters
While H1N1 is most common in those under 24 years old, Snodgrass said the virus is no worse than the regular flu.
"There's no use in being afraid of this," Snodgrass said. "Let's learn about it, and deal with it. That's the way life is everyday - it throws us a curve.
"We're not going to prevent it from coming. What we can do is prevent it from having a big of an impact as it would if we don't prepare the campus."
Even though the number of H1N1 cases on campus is increasing, Snodgrass said Missouri State's numbers are low in comparison to other college campuses around the nation.
In more severe instances, Washington State University has had nearly 2,500 students infected and Cornell has had about 625 infected.
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