Why is our demographic more susceptible to H1N1?
“The H1N1 virus is new to most of the population. Children and young adults are that part of the population that is completely susceptible to this new strain of influenza, so the virus has had the greatest impact on them. Older persons, especially those over 60 years of age, likely were infected years ago with a virus that was similar to the current H1N1 (the 1918 Spanish influenza). As a consequence, older persons appear to have persistent immunity, which gives them partial to complete protection against the virus.”

— Dr. William Schaffner, Professor and chair, Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University

What should I do now to prevent getting H1N1?
Student Health advises getting plenty of sleep, staying physically active, managing stress, drinking plenty of fluids and eating well. Washing your hands and covering your mouth when you cough also prevent the spread of contagious diseases.

When should I go to Student Health?
The Student Health Center Web site recommends “any student with a temperature greater than 100.0° and a cough or sore throat should call the Student Health Center at 615-322-2427 and make an appointment for evaluation.” They stress that students with flu-like symptoms not attend “classes, labs or social/athletic events” and recommend staying in your room until 24 hours have passed without a fever, with the exception of leaving to get medical attention or necessities.