With the cold and flu season in full swing and the stress of the holidays and finals approaching, students are at an increased risk of getting sick. Over the recent weeks, the Cal State Long Beach Student Health Center has seen an influx of students seeking medical care for cold and flu symptoms, according to Heidi Burkey, CSULB health education assistant and certified health education specialist.
With an increased risk of getting ill, students can prevent getting the flu or a cold. According to the CSULB Health Resource Center, students should:
• Wash their hands often and keep their hands away from the nose, mouth and eyes.
• Get regular exercise.
• Eat well.
• Get adequate rest. Plan this into your schedule.
The Student Health Center no longer has flu vaccines available but students can still get the vaccine from other clinics or pharmacies.
“The flu shot does not 100 percent prevent a person from getting the flu,” Burkey said.
“I got a flu shot in October from my doctor and I still got the flu two weeks ago,” said sophomore kinesiology major Julia Schrofer. “I was out of school for a week.”
The Long Beach Health Department offers flu shots every Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 2525 Grand Ave. in Long Beach. Students can also go to findaflushot.com to find a clinic near them.
Burkey said there are ways students can handle a cold or flu.
“Students come in wanting antibiotics for their cold or flu,” Burkey said. “However, the flu and cold are both viral infections that cannot be treated with antibiotics.”
There is no cure for the flu or cold, but students can treat the symptoms.
The Student Health Center suggests the following if you have a cold:
• Drink eight to 10 glasses of liquids, such as water or juices.
• Humidify the room or take warm, steamy showers.
• Gargle warm salt water for a soar throat (1/4 teaspoon salt per 8 ounces of water).
• Use a decongestant that contains pseudoephedrine (e.g. Sudafed).
• Avoid using antihistamines for cold symptoms. They may cause excessive drying and make secretions too thick for the body to eliminate.
• Students can also purchase cold care kits from the pharmacy. The kit includes cough syrup, a thermometer, cough drops, decongestant and Kleenex. The cost is $4.
The Student Health Center also has a set of self-care guidelines for students with the flu:
• Take cool sponge baths to reduce fever.
• Take Tylenol or ibuprofen. Avoid aspirin if you have the flu.
• Get plenty of rest at home. You don’t want to spread the flu to others.
Before treating the illness, it is important to differentiate between the flu and a cold. According to the Centers of Disease Control, a cold is a minor viral infection of the nose and throat associated with a runny, stuffy nose, sore throat and cough. A cold develops gradually over a few days. The flu is a more severe viral infection that starts unexpectedly with extreme exhaustion and develops into a fever and chills, muscle aches, pains and coughing.
