Flu Hits PEA, Health Center Over-occupied
Flu season is well underway, and with 10 confirmed cases of this year’s strain of influenza, the Exeter community is not immune to its presence.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this year’s flu season is considered the worst since the 2009 swine flu pandemic. Nationwide, 37 children have already died this year and schools have had to close in at least 11 states. According to Medical Director of the Lamont Health and Wellness Center Dr. Myra Citrin, this year’s predominant strain of influenza, Influenza A - H3N2, has been far more resistant to the standard vaccine.
PEA has engaged in several protocols to reduce the possibility of an influenza outbreak on campus, such as initiating the flu vaccine program at the Lamont Health and Wellness Center and placing bottles of hand sanitizer on dining hall tables. Even so, it is possible there will be more cases of influenza beyond the 10 reported cases in the following weeks. The Health Center has reportedly had to disallow fatiguing due to a lack of beds and concerns of the virus spreading.
Influenza, or the seasonal flu, is caused by viruses Influenza A, B or C. Symptoms can include fever, body aches, headache and cough and can last for one to two weeks. There are vaccines for both Influenza A and B, but there are no immunizations for C. Each year, scientists must develop a new vaccine that matches up with the circulating strains, but even in the best case scenarios, the vaccine is only 70 percent effective at preventing influenza.
“Frequently wash your hands, get adequate nutrition, exercise and get the vaccine if you have not already. It’s not too late!”
According to Dr. Citrin, the influenza vaccine this year has only a 30 percent effectiveness against the predominant Influenza A strain. While students at Phillips Exeter Academy are not required to get the flu vaccine, both Dr. Citrin and Dr. Nancy Thompson, the director of nursing, strongly recommend vaccination. Even though the flu shot will not necessarily prevent students or faculty at Phillips Exeter Academy from contracting the flu, “the severity and duration of the illness will be lessened” after the vaccination is administered.
Dr. Thompson agreed, noting how all cases of influenza on campus have been relatively mild. She attributed this to the fact that “most of Phillips Exeter Academy students are vaccinated against the flu.”
However, not all students receive flu vaccinations for a variety of reasons. According to Dr. Thompson and Dr. Citrin, some students cite medical contraindications, religious or philosophical beliefs and allergies to ingredients in the vaccine as some of these reasons. Even so, Dr. Citrin stressed that vaccines are not only critical to safeguarding each student’s health, but the entire community’s health as well. By reducing each person’s chance of contracting influenza, the chance of an outbreak on campus is also reduced.
Dr. Citrin hopes that there will be relatively few cases of influenza at Phillips Exeter Academy this year. Last year there were about 20 cases of influenza in the student body. That being said, Dr. Citrin and Dr. Thompson emphasized that students should focus more on maintaining their health and hygiene to reduce the chance of contracting the flu.
Dr. Citrin suggested “All members of the community should practice good cough and sneeze hygiene by coughing into a tissue or the elbow, not one’s hand. Influenza is spread primarily by respiratory tract droplets created by coughing or sneezing,” she said. Germs can travel up to six feet and survive for a few hours in the vicinity.
Dr. Thompson added that “keeping one’s hands out of the eyes and nose is important.” However, because 80 percent of PEA students live on campus, Dr. Thompson advised that students should avoid close contact and tell their sick friends, roommates, classmates, etc. to be treated at the Health Center.
Within the past few weeks, students have also become aware of influenza. Students like upper Alex Perez are wary of how easily influenza or any sickness can be transmitted at boarding school, due to residential life. “I feel like its a lot easier to transfer the flu on campus. It’s a very tight community. We live, go to school, study, eat and exercise together,” Perez said.
Lower Ali Markowitz notes that the flu has been a problem at home for a few weeks but only recently permeated the Exeter community. Although she was vaccinated, she contracted the virus, was out of classes for two days with a high fever and was unable to do any homework. She feels that the vaccine “failed.”
For now, influenza has only affected a small portion of students, but students should still do their best to stay healthy and strong through the remainder of the flu season. As Thompson put it, “Frequently wash your hands, get adequate nutrition, exercise and get the vaccine if you have not already. It’s not too late!”