Spring Break
Our View: Swine flu questions that must be answered
Editorial Board
Issue date: 9/22/09 Section: Opinion
Kent State has been working hard to prevent its students from catching the H1N1 virus. But first, the university needs to answer questions about how the swine flu will impact a student's everyday life.
Tossing up a few hand sanitizers around campus and announcing that swine flu vaccinations will be offered - at some point - is not going to be enough to make students feel better. These are great ways to avoid an outbreak, but what happens when students get it?
Not all students can be shipped home for quarantine that easily. There are plenty of students who don't live near Kent, in Ohio or even in the U.S. Are extra rooms available, on or off campus, where sick students may go to rest and not contaminate others?
What about students who don't have health insurance? The DeWeese Health Center is very accommodating to students, but no one can guarantee a student will come down with swine flu only Monday through Friday between the given times each day. If there is an outbreak, will the health center be open more often?
Once a student has swine flu and leaves the residence halls, will just that room or the entire hall be sanitized? We know those who work to keep the halls clean work very hard, but this flu is different from much of the usual germs we're used to passing around.
If a professor becomes diagnosed with H1N1, will there be other options for students? The class might be one that a student needs in order to graduate, and the university can't expect that student has the time or money to stay another semester to make the class up. What if the class is very important for that student's major? Can someone else step in to make sure the student doesn't miss out learning the necessary skills?
When the vaccine does become available, what important staffers, whom students are in contact with every day, will get the vaccine first?
Students don't have time to be worrying about the answers to all of these questions. The job of a student is to go to school, study and graduate. These questions must be answered by someone in the university so its students can rest easy and study hard instead of fretting over quarantines and which cafeteria is the safest.
Please let us know. We'll take every precaution not to get sick in the first place, but you must let us know what happens if the scenario arises.
The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.
Tossing up a few hand sanitizers around campus and announcing that swine flu vaccinations will be offered - at some point - is not going to be enough to make students feel better. These are great ways to avoid an outbreak, but what happens when students get it?
Not all students can be shipped home for quarantine that easily. There are plenty of students who don't live near Kent, in Ohio or even in the U.S. Are extra rooms available, on or off campus, where sick students may go to rest and not contaminate others?
What about students who don't have health insurance? The DeWeese Health Center is very accommodating to students, but no one can guarantee a student will come down with swine flu only Monday through Friday between the given times each day. If there is an outbreak, will the health center be open more often?
Once a student has swine flu and leaves the residence halls, will just that room or the entire hall be sanitized? We know those who work to keep the halls clean work very hard, but this flu is different from much of the usual germs we're used to passing around.
If a professor becomes diagnosed with H1N1, will there be other options for students? The class might be one that a student needs in order to graduate, and the university can't expect that student has the time or money to stay another semester to make the class up. What if the class is very important for that student's major? Can someone else step in to make sure the student doesn't miss out learning the necessary skills?
When the vaccine does become available, what important staffers, whom students are in contact with every day, will get the vaccine first?
Students don't have time to be worrying about the answers to all of these questions. The job of a student is to go to school, study and graduate. These questions must be answered by someone in the university so its students can rest easy and study hard instead of fretting over quarantines and which cafeteria is the safest.
Please let us know. We'll take every precaution not to get sick in the first place, but you must let us know what happens if the scenario arises.
The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Cardiovascular Health
posted 9/22/09 @ 3:37 AM EST
Getting plenty of sleep helps the immune system work better so you can avoid getting viruses or get rid of them quickly. Also it is not supposed to be referred to as the swine flu anymore since doing this has hurt the sale of pork products. (Continued…)
Eat healthy and exercise as well...
posted 9/22/09 @ 5:40 AM EST
Maintain a healthy diet of fruits, vegetable, legumes, whole grains and a good mix of the other food groups. Take a daily multivitamin. Exercise 2-3 times a week, and get a heightened heart rate for a 20 minute period each time. (Continued…)
Robin Anderson
posted 9/22/09 @ 2:08 PM EST
Um...what don't kill ya makes ya stronger, buttercup!
Now, for all you young-skulls-full-of-mush out there...check out the restrooms of either the recently remodeled Giant Eagle grocery store on Graham Road in Cuyahoga Falls or the recently remodeled Acme grocery store on Bailey Road in Cuyahoga Falls to see just how much the Office of the University Architect cares about your punk arses getting the flu, eh?
Elements for Life
posted 10/05/09 @ 10:42 PM EST
I agree, it's all about taking care of our bodies and strengthening our immune systems. Restful sleep, exercise, healthy whole foods, herbs and superfoods, fresh air, walking in nature, and a positive mindset will be huge protective agents against any disease, including this one. (Continued…)
Post a Comment