Prospectus

Issue date: 9/9/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Isaac Mitchell

In recent months the spread of the H1N1 virus, more popularly known as the Swine Flu, has gotten the attention of everyone. It has taken the cute cuddly look out of Piglet and given him fangs, red eyes and a foamy mouth. But what is H1N1 and is it really the savage virus people think it is? Or has the media blown it into something bigger than it really is?

H1N1 or the Swine Flu is a form of influenza. It is contracted by person-to-person contact. Symptoms of this include fever, coughing, runny nose, fatigue, chills and sneezing. In severe cases, it can be fatal. Unlike the usual influenza virus that tends to attack young children and adults over 65 the worst, H1N1 is creating major health problems for people 25 and younger. Through scientific studies, it has been found that many people over the age of 64 have antibodies in their body to fight against the virus, where as younger people do not.

We live in a world where other people cook and serve our food, we sit in the same desk as 10 different students each class, we touch hundreds of doorknobs a day, and so and so forth. So how do we stop the spread of this nasty virus?

Restaurant manager Jim Brown says he's not scared, he's just precautious. "We are taking this seriously. We are doing everything we possibly can to make sure everything is clean and sanitized."

As for his employees, he is taking extra precautions. "We are monitoring our associates' health closely. We are making sure people who are sick are going home and staying home. We are also keeping sanitizer close by and telling associates' to make sure they are constantly washing their hands and sanitizing themselves," said Brown.

One associate, Kyle Elam, is making sure he is doing everything he can to keep himself healthy. "I am taking extra vitamin C supplements, taking a shower regularly, walking around with a bottle of Purel in my hand constantly, and keeping my house extra clean."

In recent weeks Parkland College students have been receiving mass emails regarding the H1N1 virus. The most recent one reads:

"The Wellness Center has been notified that suspected H1N1 flu cases have been reported on campus. In addition, there appears to be another upper respiratory virus in the community that has made confirmation of a diagnosis difficult. Regardless of the cause, people are getting sick and we must all do what we can to slow down the transmission as best we can."

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