Medical professionals provide tips on how to stay healthy during flu season

Statistics show the number of flu cases have been on the rise since October and are steadily increasing.

By: Hilary Van Hoose, Copy Editor

Wastewater data of flu (left) and Covid (right) infections from Waste Water scan

Although the possibility of catching an illness during the school year is certainly nothing to sneeze at, students armed with accurate information and good habits have the tools needed to stay healthy.

While many students may prefer in-person classes, contagious classmates who claim “it’s just allergies” make it impossible for them to completely avoid exposure to such diseases as RSV, influenza, norovirus, COVID-19, and the common cold.

“Everybody was at home learning online, and when everyone came back [to campus], definitely there were a lot more people sick,” said Valley College Respiratory Therapy Program Director Gregory Morrison.

This is especially true during fall and winter, as wastewater data shows that infection rates in Los Angeles for all of these illnesses began rising rapidly in October and are still increasing.

As many are now aware, studies and reports have revealed that even asymptomatic COVID-19 infections have contributed to a significant rise in disabilities, with many individuals developing lasting or emerging post-viral conditions, commonly known as long-COVID. However, recent research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases shows that similar long-term health effects can occur with the flu, with symptoms persisting for months or even years in some cases.

Although “long-flu” is not usually as frequent or severe as the impact of Covid-19, the Lancet study showed that it can cause chronic fatigue and health problems involving the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, and digestive system.

“We’ve seen some horrific outbreaks that don’t seem horrific now because we’ve got Covid, but in 2018 we lost 80,000 people to the flu in the country and a third of those were kids,” said Morrison.

Similar to COVID-19, variants of the H1N1 strain that caused the Spanish flu in 1918 still cause occasional pandemics. Every seasonal and pandemic flu in the last century is descended from that 1918 flu, and “direct descendants of the 1918 flu combined with bird flu or swine flu to create powerful new pandemic strains, which is exactly what happened in 1957, 1968 and 2009,” according to an article in History.

Studies agree that the most effective way to avoid catching airborne illnesses is by masking-up with high quality masks such as N95s or P100s in indoor or crowded places. The CDC also recommends using a portable HEPA air purifier to filter out harmful viruses, and opening windows to improve ventilation.

Another way to improve resistance to infection is by staying physically healthy. Studies show that adults who exercise regularly are about half as likely to die from flu and pneumonia or be hospitalized due to COVID-19. Eating a healthy diet also helps the immune system fight infectious diseases.

Additionally, adults who sleep for seven to nine hours every night are less likely to fall ill and experience better protection from vaccinations, according to a study by the National Institute for Health Research.

“I’m wearing more masks and drinking a lot of Emergen-C, those packets of electrolytes with all the other goodies you might need,” Valley student Joseph Martinez said.

Practicing good personal hygiene helps a lot too. CDC guidelines say: do not kiss, hug, or share the food or drink of someone who is infectious. The CDC also recommends washing your hands before touching food, and before touching your eyes, nose, mouth, or ears.

Finally, it’s important to stay up to date with vaccinations, according to studies by the CDC, The BMJ, and The New England Journal of Medicine, because vaccines dramatically reduce the likelihood and severity of both infection and transmission. 

Health Center officials stated that the campus’ health center provides vaccinations for flu, COVID-19, and other currently circulating viruses, as well as offering combined flu/COVID-19 tests for students who have symptoms.

“I stay inside as much as I can and make sure I’m keeping up with myself, being cautious to those around me,” said Valley Student Kendrick Davis on staying safe during flu season.