As magazines and newspapers present covers and stories detailing
vaccine shortages, it may be surprising to find that the flu season
is actually off to a slow start. Only 28 states have reported any
flu cases thus far, and not a single state has claimed widespread
flu activity.

“So far, it has been a very light season; we usually see more
flu by now,” said Nancy Delaney, M.D., physician at the Saint Louis
University Health Center.

The flu season typically occurs between October and May in the
United States.

“Last year flu season peaked from November through January. We
had so many cases then–it was really astounding,” Delaney
said.

College students are particularly susceptible to catching the
flu because of their communal living styles.

“Sickness of any kind just spreads so rapidly here because
people don’t realize that simple respiratory contact or the
touching of inanimate objects spreads germs easily,” Delaney
said.

Although students may be at a higher risk, there are certain
preventative measures that can be taken to decrease one’s chances
of catching the flu. First, stay away from sick people and, if you
are sick, stay at home. In addition, doctors recommend sleeping a
few extra hours to give the immune system a boost.

“The most important thing people can do is to wash their hands
as much as possible and to try to keep their hands away from their
mouth and face. When you consider how many things you touch in a
given day, like doorknobs and other common objects, it’s no
surprise that hand germs spread disease the fastest,” Delaney
said.

Despite hygienic efforts, however, many students still manage to
catch the flu. For those wishing to partake in preemptive efforts,
like a flu vaccine, the SALUS center may not be able to help out.
SLU is feeling the brunt of the national vaccine shortage after a
main supplying plant in England was discovered to be contaminated,
thereby cutting the vaccine supply in half.

“We have no flu vaccines whatsoever due to the vaccine shortage
nationwide. It is possible that we may get some FluMist, which is
similar to the vaccine, but we have no promises at this point,”
Delaney said.

In general, those who should look into getting a flu shot are
children, the elderly, those who work in healthcare or anyone who
has a chronic illness like diabetes or asthma. For others, if you
experience typical flu symptoms, which include high fever, coughing
and muscle aches, you should call the SALUS center for an
appointment.