By Akeesha Williams
The Flu has made its presence known in the United States making this the worst in nearly a decade. Over the United States, the federal health officials are saying the number of people who are being affected by the flu is significantly increasing. The flu is known to be fatal, and so the hospitalization rate is has jumped too. It is the highest season with the most hospilizations. It has now surpass 2014-2015 flu season, where it was reported that about 34 million Americans were diagnosed with the flu, and 710,000 were hospitalized, and lastly about 56,000 people died. The outbreak is far from over, and will continue rising.
Everyone is at risk of getting the flu. It is very important that you protect yourself from the flu, since it’s very rampant this season. The number one step to preventing the flu is to take the flu shot. Many people feel like the shot will do nothing for them, but it will stop the outbreak from getting to you. Another step is to avoid contact with people who have the flu. Wash your hands often with soap or use an alcohol based hand rub. Additionally, it is essential to always clean and disinfect surfaces and objects even if they may or may not have been contaminated with flu germs.
There are key symptoms to look at for. The main symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills, fatigue, runny or stuffy nose, and or headaches. However, not everyone with the flu experiences fever or all of these symptoms. If you do get the flu, and it’s fairly mild, you do not need to go to the hospital. You should stay home and avoid contact with other people until you get over the symptoms. If the symptoms get worse such as difficulty breathing or severe vomiting you should definitely seek medical attention.
At Penn State Altoona students are taking the initiative to prevent themselves from getting the flu. In the bathroom stalls, there are reminders that this is flu season, and that washing your hands is essential to keeping yourself healthy. Destiny Kuria, a sophomore at Penn State Altoona states, “ I buy a lot of antibacterial soap because I hate getting sick. It stops me from going to class, and just adds extra stress that I don’t need.” She is also an Resident Assistant and have reminded her residents at floor meetings to ‘to wash there hands and stay clean’. Another student Nora Iman, who believes she has the flu, said, “It’s the worst feeling in the world. I wish that I had gotten the flu shot. I’m not sure if I have the flu or not but I’m showing symptoms. I’ve locked myself in my room to prevent others from getting it. My roommates are probably wondering where I am. Everyone get the flu shot”.