What to do if you are diagnosed with the flu at Bucknell:
- Go home if possible for the best rest, TLC, and self-care
- Communicate your need to be absent from class with your professors as soon as possible
- Limit all interactions with other people as much as possible until your temperature is <100 F for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. (communicate via email, text, or phone, avoid gatherings, and ask a friend to help secure your meals)
- If you do need to be with others, wear a mask. Masks are available at Student Health or with your Community Director
- Get lots of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and use medications such as fever reducers and decongestants for symptom relief
Signs and Symptoms of Flu
People who have the flu often feel some or all of these signs and symptoms that usually start suddenly, not gradually:
- Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue (very tired)
- Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in young children than in adults.
*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
Influenza viruses are spread from person to person primarily through large-particle respiratory droplet transmission (e.g., when an infected person coughs or sneezes near a susceptible person). Transmission via large-particle droplets requires close contact between source and recipient persons, because droplets do not remain suspended in the air and generally travel only a short distance (less than or equal to 1 meter) through the air. The typical incubation period for influenza is 1—4 days (average: 2 days). Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others for an even longer time.
Most people who get the flu will have mild illness, will not need medical care or antiviral drugs, and will recover in less than two weeks. Taking fever reducers, getting plenty of rest, and drinking adequate fluids while allowing time for recovery is all most people need. Some people, however, are more likely to get flu complications ( such as ear or sinus infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia), that can result in hospitalization and sometimes death. The flu also can make chronic health problems (asthma or other lung disease and cardiac disease) worse.
When to seek medical care
Anyone with:
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest or stomach pain
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Severe vomiting
- Persistent (despite fever-reducer use) or high (>102 F) fever
- Recurrence of symptoms such as cough or fever when it seemed to initially be improving
- Chronic health conditions (asthma, heart disease, diabetes, HIV, AIDS, cancer) or any reason for a weakened immune system
should seek medical care at their doctor’s office, ER or other medical facility.
Prevention of infection and/or transmission
The best ways to prevent getting the flu or transmitting it include:
- Annual flu vaccine
- Thorough and frequent hand-washing
- Avoiding gatherings when ill
- Covering coughs and sneezes in elbow or with a tissue which is discarded and followed by hand-washing
- Routinely disinfect high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, desks, and phones
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Do not share items such as utensils, drinks, lip products, cigarettes, or anything which has been in your mouth