Swine flu has landed a few punches against 2009 graduates of Lake Highlands High at colleges all over the country. From sorority recruitment week to the introductory days of classes, LH kids are stuck in their dorm rooms, isolated from the fun.
“I’m glad that I am back on campus and able to attend class ,” said Beth Solomon, a freshman at TCU. “It was hard sitting at home while the rest of my friends were busy starting their first week of college.”
Universities are well-equipped to communicate with students in the Internet age, sending emails, texts, and automated phone calls to students and worried parents alike. Some colleges, like Southwestern University where my son attends, have set up special webpages to provide frequent updates. They also give links to the Center for Disease Control recommendations and status reports. In fact some schools are no longer reporting specific numbers of flu cases or aren’t even bothering to test for H1N1, opting instead to treat with Tamiflu, regardless of the type.
Those diagnosed with the flu are being asked to go home to recover, if possible, or at the very least to isolate themselves inside their residence halls until they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without the help of Tylenol or other meds. “They were really serious about the quarantine,” said Paige Benton, a freshman at UT. “They sent someone to check on me about every five hours. It stinks to be trapped in your room, especially when you want to be meeting people.”
Luckily, schools are reporting that symptoms have been generally mild. I’m sure the kids would say they’re mild until it happens to you.
