By Jennifer Brown/Online Reporter

H1N1, otherwise known as the swine flu, has been in the media a lot lately. It was first introduced in Illinois as recent as March, and in the past 7 months, many people have been severely ill because of it. Some have even lost their lives to this new flu.
However, medical researchers have now developed a new vaccine that is available at your local hospital or drug store. All adults and children should be vaccinated, but elderly and pregnant women should use caution with this new vaccine.

The H1N1 is a virus that’s spread from person to person by such symptoms as: coughing, sneezing, fatigue, fever, sore throat, chills or nausea. As of now, there is no immunity to this new disease. Researchers are considering this a safe option for the seasonal flu shot, especially if you’re around people in the general public.

There are ways to prevent H1N1, of course. Take advantage of all the hand sanitizers available to you around campus located before most doors, and wash your hands with warm water frequently. Wear the appropriately warmer clothing as the temperatures begin to drop. If you can, avoid touching railings that everyone else has touched. Drink lots of Vitimin C in foods such as orange juice, fruits, and some vegetables. Try to eat healthy.
According to the EIU Health Services Web site, they will be getting the H1N1 vaccine very soon which is good news for students. It may also be available at Walgreens and the County Health Department.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 4:12 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.