H1N1 Audio

Listen to Emily Ross’ recount of her H1N1 symptoms.

Now that school is back in session, the H1N1 virus has started to move across the country.

While the virus has been deadly, St. Thomas senior Emily Ross didn’t think having the H1N1 virus was all that terrible.

“It was exhausting,” Ross said. “It wasn’t scary by any means.”

Coming down with a nasty cough and a high fever earlier this summer, Ross was initially diagnosed with bronchitis. But Ross was then diagnosed with the H1N1 virus on a weekend up to northern Minnesota. One of her friends originally had the virus, and in a matter of days Ross was sick along with some of her other friends on the trip.

“For college students, I think the real danger is that they don’t take care of themselves,” Ross said.

Ross’ tips as an H1N1 survivor include washing hands and just being mindful of other students and faculty.

“The only problem is that it is dreadfully inconvenient for students,” she said.

Health Services said the number of H1N1 cases at St. Thomas has risen to 32, but most infected students have recovered and returned to classes. The majority of cases involved students living off-campus.

The on-campus cases haven’t been localized, but did spread around the dorms, according to the St. Thomas pandemic page. There is no explanation yet as to why most of the cases involve students living off-campus, said Madonna McDermott, director of Student Health Service and Wellness Center.

“Most students have been very aware and seem very conscientious and making sure about doing the right things,” McDermott said.

As for other ways to stay healthy, getting a full eight hours of sleep is important. Research on students found that the immune fighting part of the body is produced in the last part of Rapid Eye Movement sleep. The REM portion of the sleep cycle happens in the seventh or eighth hour of sleep, McDermott said.

“Other keys to staying healthy are good nutrition, proper hand washing, good fluids, and minimal alcohol,” McDermott said. She also encouraged students to use hand sanitizers and to cover their coughs because the H1N1 is spread through the air.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of the H1N1 virus is encouraged to visit the Health Services Web site.

Brian Woitte can be reached at bmwoitte@stthomas.edu