Despite the late start to this year's flu season, the flu has hit Vanderbilt with force. Louise Hanson, director of Student Health, reported that over the past week the Student Health Center has had more than 20 confirmed cases of influenza in addition to 10 to 20 other suspected cases.

"We (saw) another 10 to 15 cases on Tuesday. Each day we're seeing more and more cases. Monday was the busiest day we've had in our clinic for several years," said Hanson. "Influenza is just starting to hit the Vanderbilt community and will probably get worse before it gets better."

Hanson said the health center continues to encourage students to get vaccinated and reported that the health center gave 100 flu shots on Monday alone.

"We're about out of our original 3,000 flu shot supply and are ordering more," she said.

According to Hanson, the flu vaccine given this year should perform better than the vaccine given last year.

"There is more resistance to the flu medications that are used to treat the flu - what this means is that if you do get the flu, we have to use two medications to treat you instead of just one," Hanson said of the main issue health care providers face when treating the flu.

The majority of the flu patients who were treated by the Student Health Center had not been vaccinated.

Sophomore Avery Spofford was one of the minority of immunized students who contracted the flu, despite the fact that she received the vaccination in November.

"I started to have symptoms on Sunday and Monday morning. I went to the health center, where I was diagnosed with the flu," said Spofford. "I have not been able to go to classes so far this week ... I can't really do anything that involves physical activity, (and) I have spent the last two days lying in bed."

Common flu symptoms include intense muscle aches, sore throat, fever and a painful dry cough.

"This is the type of illness that typically puts students in the bed and unable to attend class for several days," Hanson said. The Student Health Center gives verification cards to infected students in order excuse their class absences.

"The Dean's office sent out a notice to all of my professors on Sunday letting them know about my illness, and they all seem to be very flexible and sympathetic," Spofford said.

"I couldn't go to class, but all of my teachers were very helpful and understanding," said sophomore Kathryn Sargent, who was diagnosed with the flu early this week.

The original cases of influenza began the week of sorority recruitment.

"These types of infections typically spread when groups of people gather together, as they do in recruitment," Hanson said.