Severe Flu season strikes San Diego

Toreros discuss Influenza on campus 

KARISA KAMPBELL / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / THE USD VISTA

ABIGAIL CAVIZO / NEWS EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

Amid the stress of midterms, students have yet another looming factor to be concerned about: the upcoming flu season. This flu season is already in full swing, and San Diego is making headlines nationally due to the severe consequences of this flu season. 

According to CBS News, Patrick Henry Highschool, a local San Diego Highschool in Del Cero, reportedly had 1,400 absences on a single day last week. This amounted to over half of the roughly 2,500  student population. 

With this scary stat in mind, USD students are concerned for what this could mean for the spread of influenza on campus this flu season.

USD first-year Zadie Nguyen would not want the flu to impact the beginning of her college experience.

“I definitely don’t want the flu,” Nguyen expressed. “I feel like if I got it, I’d be out and in my first semester of college, a flu outbreak would not be ideal.”

Additionally, some professors on campus are taking preventative measures to ensure the health and well-being of those in their classrooms. For the first three weeks of the fall semester, the Political Science Department required all students to be masked as a COVID-19 precaution. 

Dr. Karen Shelby, a professor in the Political Science department at USD, continues to require masks in her classroom in wake of the coming flu season. 

“In one of my classes, a couple of students e-mailed and suggested that staying masked to keep everyone safe was a good idea. In my other class, I had two students who had tested positive for Covid over the first three weeks. I decided we would stay masked for a couple more weeks,” Dr. Shelby said. “At the same time, I was hearing about flu cases from students. Finally, late last week, a student let me know they had strep and that it was going around in some areas of campus. With Covid, the flu and strep all still happening in my population of students, I decided it is a good idea to remain masked for the time being. If these factors change, I am open to not masking, but for the moment, ‘better safe than sorry,’ in terms of shared classroom time, is the guide I am following.”

While some may still be annoyed by the usage of masks in class still, many students in Dr. Shelby’s class support this decision to keep their peers safe. 

USD junior Shiara Mateo is a student of Dr. Shelby’s, and respects the decision.

“I think it’s super important to stay safe if we have the means to do it,” Mateo said. “The flu is something that I wouldn’t think many people would want, so if we can mask up for other people, I agree with it.”

Flu season is something that affects the lives of many in the late fall/early winter months. Luckily, there are many things that can be done to stop the spread of this illness. Standard health aware practices that have become second nature due to COVID-19 such as avoiding touching one’s face, washing hands often, and staying at home when sick are good practices to maintain despite any illness. According to the CDC, getting the flu vaccination is one of the best ways to prevent the flu. By getting the influenza vaccine, risk of infection is decreased by 40 to 60 percent. This could be very beneficial when it comes to a large community of people, such as the campus community of USD. 

Kimberly Woodruff, Director of the Student Health Center, explained the resources offered for Influenza.

“We do offer flu shots at the health center and they are offered at no cost to students (in part with funding by ASG),” Woodruff said. “Additionally we will be doing Flu clinics on the Plaza de San Diego (between Maher and Saints) on Oct. 20 10a.m.-12p.m., 24 10a.m.-1p.m. and 27th between 10a.m.-12p.m. Faculty and staff can also get a flu vaccine for $20.”

Currently, USD is offering free flu shots for all students on campus. To request the vaccination, go to the student health portal to schedule an appointment. Additionally, pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS often offer walk in flu shot appointments, which may be more convenient for students living off-campus, as these pharmacies can be found across San Diego. 

While the Flu vaccination is not a requirement for students, it may help Toreros stay healthy in the middle of a busy midterm schedule. What’s most important, however, is ensuring that students are taking preventative measures and remaining home if they are feeling sick.