The flu season may have had its earliest start in nearly a decade this year, but UF has yet to see anything out of the ordinary.
According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday that higher-than-normal influenza reports occurred in five Southern states — Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. Parts of Georgia also saw an increase.
Although this jump in cases has led to the earliest start to the flu season since the winter of 2003-2004, many UF students say they don’t think flu season at the university has been worse than normal this year.
“This semester, I haven’t run into any sick people in comparison to last semester,” said 22-year-old history senior Ilya Kovic. “I actually feel less people are sick this semester.”
Nineteen-year-old public relations sophomore Tyler Lares said that although he has noticed more sick students this year, he wouldn’t claim there’s an increase.
“I think you just get kind of paranoid,” he said. “You see one sick person, and in an hour, you see like 20 [sick] people and think, ‘Oh God, I’m gonna die.’”
Neither student received a flu shot or plans to get one this season.
“I’ve never had a flu shot in my life,” Lares said, “and knock on wood, I’ve never needed it.”
Catherine Seemann, marketing coordinator for UF’s Student Health Care Center, said the amount of flu-like cases at the university is consistent with previous years.
She said the Student Health Care Center saw 37 cases with flu-like symptoms this semester. However, the amount of flu cases at the university generally doesn’t peak until February.
Seemann said students who haven’t gotten a flu shot yet should get one.
So far, the Student Health Care Center has given 5,000 flu shots. It usually takes two weeks for antibodies to build up in a person’s system.
“It’s not only important to get the shot to protect yourself,” Seemann said. “When you get the shot, you’re also protecting your community.”
Flu shots at the center are free for UF students and don’t require an appointment. Nasal mist and intradermal flu vaccinations are available for $15.
